


If/Then

by CharalampidisGruber



Series: Then/Now Series [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Bisexual Female Character, Drama & Romance, F/M, Humor, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pansexual Coran, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-10-22 02:44:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17654540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharalampidisGruber/pseuds/CharalampidisGruber
Summary: After the events of "Then/Now," Coran, Nanny and the Paladins stumble upon a being from another reality and as they explore the differences between their two worlds, an unexpected enemy emerges.





	1. Poker Face

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to my fic "Then/Now." You may have seen this floating around before but I decided to do a major overhaul. The first fic was written after season four and doesn't take into account anything that happened in canon after that. This has sort of morphed into an unexpected AU where my adaption of the Nanny character from OG Voltron is running around in Legendary Defender. It's cheesy. It's romance. It's got Coran being a babe. The previous fic was formatted with flashbacks and scenes of the current timeline. This one deals with visions from the alternate reality and the current one.

"Don't pull on it so hard!" Lance exclaimed. 

 

Shiro's hands recoiled from Kaltenecker's udder. The cow just snorted and continued to chew on her cud. Her ears twitched as she flicked her tail back and forth. Lance was trying to show Shiro how to milk her. The process was revolting. Nayni didn't understand why humans would be interested in consuming another mammal's milk. It was disgusting. Her ears drooped as she watched the Black Paladin lean forward. Shiro seemed more frustrated with the process than Nayni was.

 

Nayni had grown fond of Kaltenecker. She reminded her of the bovidae from her parents' ranch. They were long gone now but she could almost feel their soft trunks beneath her fingertips and smell the rich earthy aroma of their dung. Oddly enough, Kaltenecker's droppings smelled very similar. It appeared no matter what planet large farm animals came from, their poo all smelled the same.

 

Being on the Holodeck was a nice break. They'd been patrolling the galaxies for a while now and Nayni had forgotten what a nice blue sky with fluffy clouds was supposed to look like. The artificial grass held no scent but it felt like real grass. There was even some heat radiating from this false sun. It made her olive-brown cheeks feel some warmth which was a nice change of pace from the cold of space.

 

Shiro's tuft of white hair fell in his face as he repositioned his hands. The Black Paladin had been plagued by night terrors as of late. Nayni really felt for him. Lance said back on Earth that farm work had actually proved to be rather therapeutic for soldiers like Shiro. Working with one's hands could be relaxing. Nayni had found punching the Gladiator during combat training to be more relaxing than shoveling bovidae dung. 

 

Lance was leaning over Shiro. The tan-skinned boy had actually become a bit more reserved now that he had the Princess on his arm. He still was cocky enough to make her cringe on a regular basis though. Nayni had expected him to be a bit more boastful about it but he seemed to be wrangling that back now. Allura had definitely rubbed off on him. She'd been a bit too nosy about their relationship. Allura was a young woman, it really wasn't any of Nayni's business but it was hard for her to smother out those old instincts to constantly look after her. 

 

“Be more gentle with the nipples,” Lance said.

 

“Lance!” Shiro snapped.

 

The Blue Paladin chuckled to himself. Shiro turned a little red in the face as he wrapped his fingers around them.

 

“This may be hard to believe but I've done this before,” Shiro said. “Like once---”

 

Nayni did find that hard to believe.

 

“This doesn't seem to be very relaxing,” Nayni said. “Maybe just give her a nice brushing? All animals like a good brushing, it doesn't matter where they're from.”

 

Her advice wasn't very helpful. The bovidae hadn't had any fur but they did enjoy a good scrubbing after a mud bath.

 

“No, I've committed to this. I'm doing it, Nanny,” Shiro said.

 

“Well no need to get huffy with me about it,” Nayni said.

 

He'd been so testy lately. She understood he'd been through quite a bit but at this point, they'd all seen some very peculiar and traumatizing things. Nayni could still hear The Advisor's cackle in her nightmares. 

 

Shiro tugged on one of the nipples and a bit of Kaltenecker's milk squirted out into the bucket. Nayni wrinkled up her nose. Lance sniggered. 

 

"C'mon, Nanny, it's not that gross. You guys must've done stuff like this on Altea," Lance teased. 

 

Nayni couldn't really watch as Shiro milked the cow. It was making her feel a bit nauseous.

 

“We did not consume other creature's milk,” Nayni said. “That's foul.”

 

She struggled to fold her arms over her ample bosom.

 

“Then why did you keep--- _bow-vuh-day_?” Lance said.

 

He had to concentrate a bit to enunciate it. Shiro tugged a little too hard on Kaltenecker and she let out a deep, angry moo of protest. The Black Paladin pulled back nervously. He seemed very hesitant to start up again. 

 

“Bovidae were farmed for their tusks,” Nayni said. “They spent an entire deca-phoeb growing them and then they'd shed them during winter. We used their marrow for quite a few different purposes.”

 

Sliced up bovidae tusk also made a very delicious soup. It had been considered peasant's food in ancient times but it was so delicious. She missed that. Lance craned his neck around Kaltenecker. Coran had said the boy was always fascinated by Altea but now that he was with Allura, he seemed even more curious. 

 

"You guys were okay with using tusks that fell off of an alien cow thing," Lance said. "But using their milk grosses you out?" 

 

He kept comparing the bovidae to these cows from Earth. She'd explained that they were much shorter, plumper and had thick hides with stout trunks and bright eyes. Some of Nayni's crueler childhood companions used to make rather insulting comparisons to the creatures due to her height and build. These cows seemed quite a bit different. 

 

“The bovidae were getting rid of their tusks no matter what,” Nayni said. “We weren't taking it from them without any reciprocation either. We also tried to restore a bit of their quintessence---”

 

“Yeah yeah yeah yeah but if you don't drink milk what _else_ are you drinking?” Lance teased.

 

She was not going to walk right into one of his vulgar puns again. Nayni wasn't sure how but she knew he would turn this into some sexual quip about her and Coran. He so enjoyed pushing her buttons. 

 

“Mister McClain, you're lucky Allura is so fond of you or I'd beat you to death,” Nayni snapped.

 

“Guys---” Shiro sighed.

 

She mimicked throttling the Blue Paladin and all he did was laugh. Lance drove her mad. All of these little quiznackers drove her mad but she loved them desperately.

 

The Castle's intercom system crackled on and a grin crept across Nayni's face when she heard Coran's voice come over the speakers.

 

“Nayni, could you report to the bridge?” Coran said. “I need some assistance with something.”

 

He most certainly did not and that fact made the tips of her pointed ears turn red. The green markings on her plump cheeks were already prematurely glowing. Her husband never needed her assistance with anything involving the Castle. She could tell by the mild look of horror on Shiro's face that he knew Coran was summoning her for much less innocent purposes. Nayni straightened out her uniform and flashed Lance a grin.

 

“Well, enjoy your barbaric animal abuse,” Nayni said. “I'm needed elsewhere.”

 

Shiro scrunched up his nose. It appeared he found milking Kaltenecker to be a better distraction than focusing on why Nayni now had a bit more of a spring in her step. She heard Kaltenecker bray as the doors to the Holodeck closed behind her.

 

She still found the well-lit halls of the Castle to be comforting. This was home now. The distant memories of fleeing from The Advisor as he stalked them through the dark halls still haunted her though. Coran had boasted about how she'd kicked his evil doppelganger in his wimble but her husband had been the one to safely navigate them through the maintenance tunnels to freedom. And it had been Allura who had swooped in and saved their lives. 

 

It had been so terrifying but things seemed so normal now. There was still a war raging with the Galra and a good chunk of the universe still needed liberating. It had been quiet for a bit too long. These periods never lasted for much time. There'd be a night soon when the Castle alarms would start blaring or they'd get an emergency transmission. There was always something. At least they only had Zarkon to deal with now and with Lotor as their ally, the Galra Empire's days were numbered. 

 

Nayni rounded a corner to the elevator. Pidge emerged from the lift. She seemed to be in just as much of a hurry as Nayni was. The Green Paladin was just a hair shorter than Nayni. After meeting her brother, Matt, Nayni knew this wouldn't last for long. She'd grow and Nayni would be the shortest person around again. Still, the Guard Captain did enjoy having at least one person on the Castle who was of equal stature.

 

“Hello, Miss Holt---” Nayni said.

 

“Is Shiro still on the Holodeck?” Pidge pressed.

 

“Yes, Lance and Shiro are still torturing Kaltenecker,” Nayni said.

 

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her tiny nose. Pidge's brown eyes narrowed. She was tough and she tended to wear her emotions on her sleeve. 

 

“Is he okay?” Pidge asked.

 

They were all a family. They'd been a family long before they'd pulled Nayni out of that cryopod. She knew Pidge's father and brother had worked with Shiro back on Earth. It seemed that the bulk of their relationship had been developed after their journey as Paladins had begun though. Nayni's ears perked up. 

 

“He seems fine,” Nayni said.

 

She didn't like discussing his nightmares with anyone. It wasn't her business to share. They were all aware of it but she wasn't one to gossip. Pidge just nodded her head. The Green Paladin didn't seem to be perfectly satisfied.

 

“Are you okay, Miss Holt?” Nayni pressed.

 

"Yeah, it's just---" Pidge began. "Ya know he's been so tired lately. I'm worried." 

 

That was not all there was to it. Pidge wasn't the best at masking her feelings. Nayni knew when it was appropriate to pry and when it wasn't. Shiro was their leader. He was their Black Paladin and it wasn't a surprise that they were concerned for him. Seeing him in distress probably troubled Pidge a great deal.

 

“I need to get to the bridge,” Nayni said.

 

She was giving Pidge an out so this awkward questioning could come to an end. Pidge forced a smile. It was atrocious.

 

"Right, I want to go see how the 'torture session' is going anyway," Pidge said. 

 

The Green Paladin marched off before Nayni could get another word out. Everyone was in a huff today. Maybe it was how the stars were aligned. Coran had sounded rather chipper when he summoned her. He always sounded that way though. The Castle could be engulfed in flames and he could be cradling Allura's severed head in his arms and he would still put on the facade that everything was fine.

 

She managed to dodge the others on her way to the Bridge. That was all well and good. Nayni hadn't had much private time since they'd returned from their---what was it called? _A honeymoon?_ That was a very pleasant Earth tradition that Lance had explained to them. It had been a nice little getaway to that tropical moon but all Nayni really remembered about it was how the ceiling of the hotel room looked. 

 

She crept up to the archway to the Bridge. Her heart was already racing. _Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Nordontu Smythe_ was her husband and it still amazed her. It was a ruggling mouthful now but he'd insisted on taking that title. Altean tradition had called for Coran to take her surname since she was the one who'd asked for his hand. But, she'd also been rather keen on becoming a Smythe. So they'd just taken each other's titles. What a scandal. No one was around to stir up a ruckus over it though.

 

Coran was bent over the main control panel. By Groggery, his rump looked fantastic in those tight slacks. He was humming the Altean national anthem to himself as he fiddled with some of the wiring. The maintenance panel was hanging open exposing the mechanical guts of the controls. His hands were buried in the nest of cables. The aquamarine display kept flickering as he toyed with the various mechanisms. Nayni cleared her throat. 

 

“You actually do need assistance,” Nayni said. “How disappointing.”

 

And here she thought they'd have a frantic tumble on the polished floors of the Bridge. He turned around. He had such a wicked grin on his face. The edges of that perfectly trimmed orange mustache were pulled back in a smile. He had a devious glint in those violet eyes of his. His blue markings were definitely shimmering a bit too. Coran leaned against the control panel. He twirled the end of his mustache.

 

Nayni swallowed hard. Coran sauntered over to her. He was such a tall, glorious, lean muscled man

and she was a short, broad-shouldered woman who could most definitely snap him in half.

 

“I dropped my frurntil,” Coran cooed. “Would you mind fishing it out for me?”

 

He leaned in. The tip of his prominent nose was brushing against hers. She was already quite flustered. Her hands were thick, clumsy things and she wouldn't actually be of much use. There was no way she'd be retrieving one of his tools from the cramped interior of that control panel. 

 

“If you want to get me bent over, you don't have to play these games,” Nayni said.

 

She did enjoy them but all of the Paladins were stomping around the Castle. They didn't exactly have the time for it right now.

 

“Simply asking my dear wife to present her rear end to me isn't exactly romantic though,” Coran said.

 

“And the whole _'Oh my, I've dropped something'_ line is somehow better?” Nayni teased.

 

Coran just shrugged.

 

“And what if I want you to present your rear end to me?” Nayni said.

 

"Oh I find ways to flaunt it in front of you quite often," Coran said. "I do believe you only catch it half of the time though." 

 

Heat rushed to the tips of her pointed ears and Nayni bit her bottom lip. _Quiznack._ She knew he'd been doing that on purpose from the very first dobash she'd met this foppish red-head.

 

“Just shut your quiznack and ravish me,” Nayni snapped.

 

She started to tear off her gloves when a rather angry looking alert message appeared on the main display. _Of quiznacking course._ The universe had spectacular timing. The field of stars spread out before them looked so serene. There weren't any physical signs of ships approaching but that didn't necessarily mean they were in the clear. 

 

Coran scrambled over to one of the other control panels. He waved his hand over the display. A grainy image of the Terrapin Elder erupted across the screen. The reptilian alien still appeared to be exceptionally grumpy. He blinked his one eye. Even on this pixelated image, she could still see the wrinkles of his scaly skin. 

 

“Orange One of Voltron,” The Elder said.

 

His voice was raspy and deep. He sounded very irritated but from what Nayni remembered the Terrapin always sounded irritated.

 

“We have your Blue One,” The Elder said.

 

“I'm sorry? _Blue One_?” Coran said.

 

“Yes, we have the Lion,” The Elder said.

 

Coran furrowed his brow.

 

“I'm afraid that's not possible,” Coran explained. “The Blue Lion is with us and I don't think it snuck out for a little midnight romp.”

 

Coran chuckled and Nayni found herself smiling. The Terrapin Elder just stared at them blankly as his image flickered on the display. 

 

“We have Lion,” The Elder pressed.

 

He was serious. Coran's ears perked up.

 

“Would you mind terribly sending over some evidence?” Coran asked.

 

The Elder snorted. He craned his neck out of the camera's view and snapped at someone. The wrinkles of his neck jiggled as he turned back around to face them.

 

“You will see. We do not lie,” The Elder said.

 

A few images spilled across the secondary monitor. There was definitely a Blue Lion and it was in dire straits. It was completely powered down and engulfed in its cyan particle barrier. Something about it seemed slightly different though. Coran glanced at the time stamped on the images. It was possible that they'd fabricated this whole affair but the Terrapin really didn't have a reason to do such a thing. 

 

“That is definitely the Blue Lion,” Coran said.

 

He got that look in his eye again. Coran was thinking of just what he should and shouldn't say. This was a bit of an alarming situation they found themselves in now. The Blue Lion was safely tucked away in its hangar. They could see that on the video feed from the security cameras. But there was also a Blue Lion sitting in a Terrapin hangar.

 

Coran cleared his throat and put on his best, blank, serious diplomat face. 

 

“How exactly did you come to acquire the Lion?” Coran asked.

 

“Crashed here,” The Elder said. “The pilot is still in a healing pod.”

 

Nayni knew Allura was in her father's old Alchemy laboratory. She was perfectly fine and being just as hardworking and dedicated as she always was. Unless someone had snuck a clone version of her aboard, she wasn't the one piloting that Lion. 

 

“We guard the Lion with our biggest sticks,” The Elder said. “No ill will befall them while we stand watch.”

 

She was already reeling from the possibilities. Both of them kept their expressions stone cold. She couldn't let the Elder see how much this terrified her. Coran had been through so many more of these negotiations than she had. He was much better at masking the thoughts that were running through his head. 

 

"We'll have to discuss this before we plot a jump," Coran said. "I can't begin to express how thankful we are to have you on our side. Your assistance is deeply appreciated." 

 

Nayni must've been hallucinating because she thought the Terrapin Elder actually smiled. Coran beat his fist against his chest and the Terrapin seemed even more pleased. He banged against his shell in response and the feed cut. Coran's ears drooped as he looked at his wife.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The bridge was filled with the chatter from the Paladins again. It had happened so much that it was a borderline annoyance. This was the nature of war and the mysteries of the universe. It required a great deal of discussion and planning. Hunk found the images of the Blue Lion on Terrapin to be deeply disturbing. Pidge, unsurprisingly, couldn't stop asking questions.

 

“So, now there's two Blue Lions?” Pidge asked again.

 

“Yes,” Coran said.

 

“And a pilot we know nothing about?” Pidge asked.

 

“Yes,” Coran said.

 

Hunk looked away from the monitor. He was toying with his fingers.

 

"Do you think it's like more evil versions of everyone again?" Hunk stammered. "I really hope not---no offense but you were really terrifying as a bad guy, Coran." 

 

Coran actually seemed a tad proud of himself. Lance cracked a grin.

 

“If it is then who cares?” Lance said. “Allura whooped The Advisor's ass. She could do it again, no problem.”

 

The Blue Paladin was blushing a bit and was doing a rotten job of hiding it. His girlfriend found this to be deeply amusing. Allura couldn't wipe the smile off her face. 

 

“Let's not make too many assumptions,” Allura said. “What we do know is whoever is piloting that Lion is in dire need of our help.”

 

“We are definitely the only qualified beings in the universe to help them out,” Nayni said.

 

If it was another version of Lance piloting that Lion she might go mad though. Dealing with two of those quiznacks sassing her might result in a double murder. Another version of Allura would be just as taxing though.

 

Shiro had been fairly silent for most of this discussion. He flexed the fingers of his cybernetic limb as he mulled it all over. This was a rather jarring occurrence yet he seemed to be a million lightyears away. He was the leader of the team. He usually was able to come up with solid plans.

 

“What're your thoughts, Shiro?” Nayni asked.

 

He snapped out of his trance. Shiro focused on the blurry images spread across the secondary display.

 

“We'll have the Terrapin to back us up if anything goes south,” Shiro said. “We need to get there and figure out what's going on.”'

 

Well, that was obvious. Nayni exchanged a glance with Coran. They'd always had this unspoken understanding but the strength of it had evolved. Sometimes it felt like he was standing right next to her even when they were on completely different sections of the Castle.

 

Coran started typing into the main control panel.

 

“I'll set a course for the Terrapin system,” Coran said.

 

“I think---I'll go lay down,” Shiro said. “If someone could wake me up when we get there---”

 

His handsome face was scrunched up. It looked like it was a great struggle for him to even speak. Lance furrowed his brow.

 

“Yeah, man, I'll come get you,” Lance said. “No worries.”

 

They were all pretty worried about him. Shiro was trying to keep his struggles to himself but no one was going to allow that. Everyone was trying to hide that from him. Nayni knew he'd be deeply ashamed if he realized that everyone was looking out for Shiro instead of him being the caretaker. Lance was good at coming up with excuses to try and ease his troubles. Hunk was terrible at lying so he'd tried to stay out of it. But with a potential new crisis before them, Nayni wasn't sure if they could afford to keep dancing around the matter.

 


	2. I Wanna Dance With Somebody

The Terrapin hangar was dusty and poorly lit. The Lion was engulfed in its cyan barrier. It was still and silent like a massive monument looking over all of them. Seeing it up close was most strange. It was more apparent that it was not the Blue Lion that was safely docked in the Castle. It possessed a much boxier and geometric design. Its hull was chipped and battered like it had seen hundreds of intense battles. Its eyes remained dark and unresponsive.

 

“It's look like something from a bad 80s Sci-Fi show,” Lance said.

 

Lance kept standing before its barrier with his chest puffed out. He'd been trying to get some kind of reaction from it but this Lion was having none of it. Allura was quietly observing the strange vessel. The Terrapin Elder stretched out his head and looked the Blue Paladin up and down.

 

“Waste more vargas staring at it if you wish,” The Elder snapped. “It will do nothing.”

 

Lance was bound and determined though. He didn't even acknowledge the Elder's comment. The heavily armored guards were curious to see if Lance could actually get the Blue Lion to do anything. The Terrapin Elder's neck jiggled as he shook his head.

 

“The pilot ready to leave pod now,” The Elder said. “They have answers you need. Orange One should come, knows how to speak with manners.”

 

"I rather go talk to them than watch Lance scream at the particle barrier," Pidge said. 

 

Lance looked over his shoulder and shot the Green Paladin a dirty look. Allura was trying to hold back her grin. She ended up having to cover her mouth with her delicate hand.

 

“Maybe the three of you should go speak to this pilot,” Allura said. “We'll stay back here and try to keep Lance from catching a giant blue laser with his face.”

 

Now Nayni wanted to stay behind so she could see that happen.

 

“As you wish, Princess,” Coran said.

 

He rested his hand on the small of Nayni's back. She wasn't keen on facing this mysterious pilot. Nayni had gotten her fill of people that were familiar yet so foreign at the same time. 

 

They were almost certain that this other Lion wasn't from their reality. How it'd gotten here though was yet to be explained. It was still possible that it was some elaborate Galra trap but Pidge had run a brief scan of the vessel's hull. It appeared to have been constructed from a transreality comet just like the Lions they knew. Unless Zarkon had gotten a hold of one it couldn't have been built by his Druids. 

 

Hunk still had his nose buried in his computer interface looking over the readings they'd picked up from it. He was determined to piece together the mystery of its construction on his own. Shiro was hanging back. He was looking the Lion up and down. Nayni couldn't really read his expression. He seemed curious but also unimpressed at the same time. 

 

Maybe they'd make some progress while they were gone. Coran was herding her forward. Pidge was trying to hold back as she walked by the Elder's side. She was most eager to have a chat with this pilot. Navigating the cavernous halls that had been carved out of the earth itself reminded Nayni of the first time she'd set foot here. She remembered smearing cactus juice all over her round face and how Coran's hair seemed to glow in the light of the bonfire. 

 

She knew they were drawing closer to the location of the healing pods because heavily armored Terrapin guards flanked them on both sides. The Elder just snorted and the two guards before the thick iron doors stepped aside. He shuffled into the chamber. Pidge was struggling not to push by him. She wasn't an expert on their culture but the Green Paladin was smart enough to know that would be incredibly rude. The Terrapin healing pods were much larger than the ones on the Castle. They were so wide that Nayni thought she'd fit in them much more nicely than the standard Altean models. 

 

Most of the pods in the room were empty. A few of them were occupied by some Terrapin soldiers. Their heads recoiled into their thick shells and they all seemed to be sleeping with a rather grumpy look on their face. It was glaringly obvious which pod held the pilot. They were tall and lean, their body hanging limply behind the green barrier of the pod. 

 

“Whoa,” Pidge said. “That is definitely Paladin armor.”

 

It most certainly was. It looked just like the armor that Pidge was clad in right now. It was hard to tell what color it was with the glow of the barrier but it appeared to have aquamarine pieces. It was still the same sleek white plating and black meshing that Nayni was familiar with. The helmet was still firmly placed over the pilot's head. The dark visor masked their features. Coran toyed with the edge of his mustache as he looked over the pod.

 

“Do you think it's possible that the Galra could replicate that technology?” Pidge asked.

 

"Oh no," Coran said. "I mean they could but not an exact copy. This looks like it was manufactured by the Castle. Its design is too close to Alfor's original schematics for it to be something that the Galra reverse engineered." 

 

Pidge grinned.

 

“So, maybe it's an evil Lance?” Pidge teased.

 

“Then I'll snap his skinny neck before he can pull anything,” Nayni said.

 

They stared at the healing pod as if it were coated in Kaltenecker's dung. The Terrapin Elder let out a low growl of frustration. He stamped his wooden staff on the ground.

 

"Open pod, then chatter like hatchlings," The Elder said. "Enough time wasted already." 

 

Nayni swallowed hard. She looked up at Coran nervously. He flashed her a warm smile. It was likely he was nervous too but he was much better at hiding it.

 

“You're quite right,” Coran said. “Go ahead and open the pod.”

 

The Terrapin guards readied their weapons. The mechanisms of their Gatling guns clicked and whirred as they powered up. Pidge fiddled with her glasses in anticipation. Nayni reached for Coran's hand without thinking. She really didn't want to fend off an evil alternate reality version of the people she loved again. She felt the faint static of his quintessence flowing through her hand. It brought her a bit of comfort as the healing pod's barrier flickered off. 

 

White mist crept out of the pod. The Paladin stumbled out into the room. Their armor was a little scuffed but otherwise looked immaculate. They were staggering about as if they were intoxicated. The guards kept the barrels of their massive guns pointed at the pilot, their claws hovering over the triggers. The Paladin braced themself on the healing pod. Their head tilted up and Nayni could see the reflection of her face beside Coran's in the dark visor. 

 

The Paladin gasped and fell back. They pawed at their helmet frantically. When they tore it off, a pair of pointed ears and blue Altean markings were revealed. The helmet clattered as it rolled across the floor. Fiery orange curls spilled out and fell around that round face. Wide violet eyes gazed at them in shock as sweat rolled down their golden skin. Her bottom lip trembled and she covered her mouth. 

 

“M-Mother-----Father?” she gasped.

 

“Holy shit,” Pidge said.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Despite the chatter from the guests and the loud music sweeping through the Palace, Nayni could barely keep her eyes open at the ball. Blue and golden banners were draped from the ceiling and the grand hall was filled with the alien diplomats and leaders from every corner of the universe. Coran had arranged the celebration on Alfor's orders. Voltron had won yet another victory for peace and justice. The five Paladins all gathered around the Altean throne. Little Allura was hovering around her father, listening with great interest to the tales that the other Paladins were spinning. She lived for these stories. She would tell them again and again to Nayni. The bodyguard probably would have these new ones memorized in no time at all. 

 

The stout guard captain tried to mask the yawn she let out with her hand. Sleep had been eluding her as of late. She'd kept waking in the middle of the night after some rather intense dreams. Her ears flushed and she started to feel warm just thinking about them. 

 

She watched Coran making his rounds. His outfit was as magnificent and audacious as she'd expected. This glorious monstrosity seemed to be a homage to the Red Lion. He was adorned with a perfectly pressed white and red suit with a crimson velvet cape trailing behind him. Only Coran could pull something like that off. He was sparkling like a ruby everywhere he went. Some diplomats would swoon or blush after he charmed them with what was likely an absolutely atrocious joke. His cape would swirl around him as he twirled about the dance floor with whichever lucky attendee he'd chosen for that particular song. 

 

The idea of having a dance with him put Nayni's stomach in knots. The dreams she'd been having about him were terribly frustrating. She did not like the way they made her look at him. She especially disliked how awkward it would make their day to day interactions. It was inevitable after tonight that she would probably have some silly overly romantic garbage dream that was a combination of the teledrama she was currently binging and Coran dancing in that stupid outfit. Here she stood, in her drab dark blue uniform, looking like a tired mess with a grumpy expression on her face. Nayni was quite the sad sight. 

 

Allura was breaking off from her father and the Paladins. She had to lift up her periwinkle skirt so she could walk properly. Their conversation must've turned away from their exciting adventures and Allura had little interest in small talk about spouses and babies. Allura skidded to a stop by one of the banquet tables. Allura plucked two fluffy yellow meringues from the table and scampered over to Nayni. She thought the girl was going to dump the whipped confections all over her dress but the disaster was narrowly avoided. 

 

Allura offered up the dessert with a wide grin on her face. This was exactly what Nayni needed. Large amounts of sugar were very good at smothering the confusing sexual feelings she'd been having towards Mister Smythe. 

 

“You're always thinking of others, Lurie,” Nayni said.

 

Allura was trying to find a dainty and proper way to consume her meringue but it just wasn't happening. Nayni reached over, scooped up some meringue with her finger and left a dollop on Allura's nose. The look of shock on the Princess's face was priceless. 

 

“You're so wicked, Nanny!” Allura teased.

 

She wiped the meringue away from her face and tried to get it on Nayni's. The Princess had to jump on her tiptoes just to smear it on Nayni's chin. They giggled a bit over their little duel before Allura stuffed the meringue in her mouth. Nayni downed her portion in two bites. She wiped the meringue away from her chin on her sleeve. No point in keeping up appearances when she was going to be standing rigid with her hands behind her back. 

 

“Did you tire of the Voltron Paladins?” Nayni asked.

“Yes,” Allura sighed. “And I just don't like Zarkon, he smells like old shoes.”

 

Nayni held back a chuckle. Relations between Alfor and Zarkon were somewhat complicated from what Coran had told her. They'd been able to put their tensions aside and work together for the greater good though. 

 

“Maybe his shoes are old, Lurie,” Nayni speculated. “He might be feeling rather insecure about it so I wouldn't point that out to him.”

 

Allura nodded in agreement as if it was a serious diplomatic discussion. Coran finished dancing with his latest partner. He bowed to the nobleman with far too much flourish and was met with a small round of applause. Oh, how she wanted to punch him in his pretty, smug face. She wanted to punch him even more when she noticed that Coran was making his way towards them. Of course, he'd chosen to come check on them when Nayni had quiznacking meringue on her sleeve. 

 

He approached them and performed yet another overdramatic bow. Allura giggled and responded with a curtsy. Nayni felt like dying a little bit.

 

“It's my two favorite ladies in the entire universe,” Coran announced. “I do hope you're both enjoying the festivities.”

 

There wasn't really much for Nayni to enjoy while she stood around looking at people. Her job was to blend into the background, to go unnoticed so she could spring into action at any moment. Her job was starting to become rather irrelevant now though. An intergalactic peace really eliminated the need for guards. 

 

"Yes but there are far too many perfumed jellies at the dessert table," Allura said. "No one likes those." 

 

Coran smirked and his eyes seemed to twinkle.

 

“But they're a staple of any proper social event, Princess,” Coran teased.

 

Allura wrinkled her nose and folded her arms across her chest.

 

“They're gross! Right, Nanny?” Allura asked.

“I'm afraid I have to agree with the Princess, Mister Smythe. They're revolting,” Nayni said with a smirk.

 

Allura nodded with approval. Coran didn't seem to be deeply wounded by the whole affair but there was a twinge of disappointment in the air. He had planned and arranged this whole gathering and they'd just insulted some of his catering choices.

 

“Well, my Princess, I came to ask you if I could steal away Madame Nordontu for a moment,” Coran confessed.

 

 _Oh dear_. Why did Nayni feel a sudden wave of panic flow over her? She clenched her fists tightly behind her back. 

 

“For what?!” Allura asked.

 

She was practically jumping with excitement. The Princess looked to Nayni. She was smiling with such devious delight. Why was the Princess looking at her like that? She couldn't possibly know, could she? 

 

“I was hoping the Captain of the Royal Guard would join me for a dance?” Coran said. “Unless you find that idea to be as revolting as the perfumed jellies.”

 

He was as smooth as silk and it made her nauseous. There were still plenty of other overdressed tarts for him to set off into a swooning fit. Yet, he'd come to Nayni. He truly enjoyed torturing her. Her ears were feeling hot and she felt sweat beading on her forehead. She would very much enjoy a dance with Coran but the idea of being so close to him; it was terrifying. It wasn't as if they hadn't been that close before but she also hadn't been having these terribly flustering dreams then either. His eyebrow was raised and he had a cheeky smile on his face. She wanted to punch him rather than give him an actual response. 

 

"I—I'm on duty, Mister Smythe, I couldn't possibly," Nayni stammered. 

"Oh, I'm sure your guardsman can keep order for you during one little dance?" Coran pestered. 

 

It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to refrain from punching him in that perfectly square jaw of his. That silver grin on his face and his perfectly styled orange curls were so irresistible though. Nayni glanced down at Allura. The Princess looked so excited. She looked like she was going to explode.

 

“I'll stand guard for you, Nanny!” Allura squealed.

 

Nayni swallowed hard.

 

“I suppose---I could neglect my duties for one dance,” Nayni stammered.

 

"Then it shall be just one dance," Coran cooed.

She thought she was going to retch all over his magnificent suit. Coran got a devious glint in his eye. He held out his hand to her and Nayni felt a heat rushing to her cheeks. She grasped his hand. Nayni cringed when she saw the meringue smeared on her sleeve.

 _Oh quiznack, she was going to die_. Allura clapped and giggled as he swept her onto the dance floor. She was already sweating profusely and could feel bile creeping up her throat. Nayni nervously looked over and saw one of her guardsman chuckling to himself. They would never let her live this down. There was no escape now. This was the night she'd finally die from embarrassment.

 

“I must confess I have no clue how to dance,” Nayni stammered.

 

Coran seized her by the waist. He pulled her against his lithe body and she bit down on her lip. She was not going to swoon. She refused to swoon.

 

“Have no fear, Madame, just follow my lead,” Coran said.

 

He was waltzing her around at a pace that didn't match the rhythm of the song at all. It was slow and clumsy. Nayni was stiff as a board. Her teeth hurt she was clenching her jaw so hard. She'd danced like this with Tomyko. She'd been so terribly awkward but her long-dead wife had gotten Nayni to loosen up. Nayni was mortified but she knew that Tomyko would've wanted this for her. She already would've been disappointed to see how many deca-phoebs Nayni had spent wallowing in her grief. 

 

Coran twirled her around. Nayni felt like her stomach was doing flips. She could feel the heat of his body and it was only getting her more flustered. What a sight this must be. The gruff Captain of the Guard was dancing with the graceful and handsome Royal Advisor. 

 

“I must say you look ravishing this evening,” Coran said.

 

“Oh,” Nayni squeaked.

 

"But you always look ravishing," Coran teased.

She knew she was blushing furiously now. She was trembling a bit but the edge of her mouth started to curl up in a smile. She was going to dissolve right here on the dance floor. Her guardsmen would have to carry her away to the healing pod and piece her body back together. 

 

She couldn't just sit here like an idiot. She could almost hear Tomyko's soft voice in her ear telling her that she needed to say something. She had to.

 

“Your mustache---um---is nice?” Nayni said.

 

She was an idiot. Coran chuckled.

 

“You flatter me, Madame Nordontu,” Coran said.

 

It felt like the crowd was spinning around them in a blur. He ran his hand down the length of her back and her heart fluttered. She'd been quiznacking the ruggle out of this man in her dreams and having his hands all over her was most difficult. 

 

“Relax,” Coran cooed. “I know you're on duty but try to enjoy yourself for just a few dobashes.”

 

"A varga alone with you would be easier to enjoy," Nayni said. 

 

She immediately regretted saying that when she saw the look of shock come over Coran's face.

 

“Did you just make a pass at me, Madame?” Coran asked.

 

He spun her around before she could respond. She stumbled and he caught her before she could fall.

 

“I mean---oh ruggle---I'm sorry, Mister Smythe, that wasn't appropriate,” Nayni said.

 

Coran pulled her close. A shiver ran down her spine when she felt his damp breath on her ear.

 

“I've gotten a lot of offers tonight,” Coran whispered. “But yours is the only one I'm interested in.”

 

She laughed nervously. She was so scared to take a step like this. She never wanted to feel the ache of losing someone again. It had been so hard after Tomyko passed. That sorrow had been dictating everything about her life for so long. She knew with every quintant that had gone by that it was just another little betrayal to her wife's memory. Tomyko would want this. She wouldn't want Nayni to let her hangups hold her back for another tik. 

 

“Mayhaps---we should get together some evening----soon,” Nayni stammered.

 

It felt as if her throat was closing in on itself.

 

“I would be honored,” Coran said.

 

Nayni Nordontu, Captain of the Royal Guard, had just asked Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe the Royal Advisor out on a date and he had accepted. She thought she was going to soil herself.

 

 


	3. Genie In A Bottle

Nayni wanted them to take it slow. She'd told Mister Smythe that from the very start. At first, Nayni had worried that he would have so many questions but she didn't even have to explain herself. Coran hadn't mentioned Tomyko at all. She was grateful for that. She'd barely spoken to him about her passing. They'd talked about her a fair bit but not that gaping hole Tomyko had left behind.

 

She'd spread out a few outfits on her bed. Nayni couldn't remember the last time she'd worn something other than her uniform and pajamas. She knew what Tomyko would've liked to see her in. Would Coran have the same taste? She wrinkled up her nose. The simple black suit she used to wear on dates was so out of fashion he'd probably retch. It was faded and smelled quite musty too. Nayni tossed the atrocious thing to the floor.

 

It didn't matter what she wore. Every date started out rather awkwardly. Coran always managed to get her relaxed and things would go more smoothly. Making the transition from a co-worker that admired him from a distance to a romantic partner was proving most difficult for her. Teasing him with insults during the day and laughing about some silly thing the Princess did had been a bit easier before when she thought he only looked at her in _a platonic_ fashion. 

 

Oh quiznack, when he reached for her hand or made those bedroom eyes it drove her mad. She'd get so red in the face and ruffled. He was always spruced to the nines when he saw her too. She was certain he always wore those tight pants on purpose. Nayni wanted to touch that perfectly sculpted rump so badly. Coran said he'd been better built back in his Space Squad days but he was still put together perfectly. Nayni felt her ears getting hot again.

 

He got her so flustered. It wasn't fair. He was always so smooth and calm around her. She glanced over her shoulder back at her closet. There was something buried in the very back that used to drive Tomyko wild. She dug through her things and yanked it out. At first glance, it didn't look like she'd even be able to fit into it anymore. Nayni sniffed the thin black fabric. It didn't smell nearly as musty as her other options. The color of the fabric had gotten a bit duller but it could pass. Maybe? She wasn't very good with style decisions. 

 

Nayni wriggled into the tight shirt. She squirmed as she yanked it over her ample bosom. The process mussed up her brown hair and some of her frizzy brown curls had come loose. She looked herself up and down in the mirror. She'd lost a bit of the tone from her muscles since her Army days but she was still big enough to crush the skull of anyone who crossed her. Nayni awkwardly flexed her arm. She looked like an idiot but her muscles were bulging quite nicely.

 

Tomyko would've wanted her to go with this one. He'd gotten her flustered quite a bit. It was only fair for Coran to suffer a bit. She tried to get into a pair of slacks that seemed to match the shirt. Doing her hair was a pointless struggle but she was fussing over it tonight. Being around him made her feel such pressure to make herself more presentable. It was easier to just be stuffed into her uniform with slicked-back hair and a scowl. She knew it was boring but it was her comfort zone. 

 

She heard the buzzer for the door to her quarters. Well, there wasn't any more time to fuss now. This is how he was having her. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Her hand was trembling a bit as she typed into the control panel. 

 

He looked a tad nervous when the door slid open. There was a storm raging outside. Flaming balls of magma were slamming into the particle barrier that had engulfed the Palace. The fuchsia and orange clouds were swirling in the dark sky. Every now and then there would be a rumble in the distance and a flash of scarlet lightning. The fiery glow of the storm made Coran look like a deity of war. He was dressed in a deep violet, velvet suit with gold trim. His red hair was perfectly styled in that ponytail as per usual. 

 

When he looked her up and down she thought he ruffled a bit but she wasn't sure. He was so good at playing it cool.

 

"I'm afraid my plans for the evening have been ruined by the weather," Coran said gesturing over his shoulder. 

 

He'd said he was going to take her for a walk through the National Alchemist Botanical Gardens. That was not happening now. The last time Nayni had Coran alone within this apartment, they'd gotten plastered and he'd braided her hair while she rambled on about the good old days.

 

“You could've just called,” Nayni scolded. “I don't want you running around in a storm and risk putting a hole through your head.”

 

He grinned.

 

“You worry about my well being, Madame?” Coran teased.

 

She'd walked right into that. Nayni swallowed hard.

 

"Just come in then," Nayni said. "I won't have you making the trek back to your quarters in this weather." 

 

He brushed up against her as he came in. He did that on purpose, she could tell by that devilish grin on his face. Well, this was going to be an interesting evening. These storms usually lasted for quite a few vargas. She'd jested with him about wanting to spend a varga alone with him at the ball but the idea was mildly terrifying to her now. 

 

Nayni tried to steal a glance at his rump but his coattails were keeping it hidden from her today. He leaned against the back of her couch with his arms folded across his chest. By Altea, that man looked so alluring without much effort. Looking at his hips was filling her head with some very lurid ideas. They were taking it slow. She needed to take it slow. She wasn't sure if she was ready yet. 

 

His eyes were pouring over her body and she was quite satisfied. The tight shirt was having the effect that she'd hoped it would. Coran was attempting to be a gentleman about it by not being terribly obvious but he was failing at it.

 

“We could watch a teledrama?” Nayni stammered.

 

It was rather awkward to just be standing about like this. At least if she could focus on some mindless entertainment she wouldn't be so fixated on how nicely that velvet suit clung to his body in all the right places.

 

“If that is what you desire, Madame Nordontu, it is what I desire,” Coran said.

 

That line was dripping with sensuality and she could barely look at him now. She was being so stiff and awkward. She'd danced with him at that ruggling ball and he'd had his hands all over her. She'd survived that graceless endeavor. She could handle watching a teledrama with him at the very least.

 

Coran plopped down on her couch as if he'd been living here for deca-phoebs. She just kept her focus on the remote in her hand. She wanted to leap on him. He'd been such a gentleman from the very start. He'd been so understanding and charming. He never pushed her on anything. The way he got cleaned up drove her mad. His perfect red curls and dazzling smile made her heart race. And when he laughed far too loudly at her dull tales of being a Guardsman he made her blush. 

 

She kept thinking about how that mustache would feel between her legs or on the soft flesh of her neck. Nayni scrolled through the collection of teledramas on her entertainment display. She wasn't even really looking at them. She instinctively selected _Barca Barquentine_ without asking him. This series was probably older then both of their ages combined.

 

She was rigid and perched on her couch as if she was prepping herself to make a swift escape. Coran leaned back. She watched his fingers toy with the end of his mustache. Just seeing that subtle grin on his face was getting her ruffled again. They were capable of having civil discussions. They could spend hours exchanging jokes and stories. But for some reason tonight all she could think about was what she wanted to do to that lithe body of his.

 

Coran reached for her hand. Those long fingers engulfed her stubby vestiges and she thought she was going to implode. The opening credits were still rolling across the screen. The theme music swelled as an Altean seafaring vessel danced across the rolling waves. The ship bobbed in the crystal clear waters as the white sails whipped in the wind. The opening sequence began to unfold. Cannon balls slammed into the hull of the ship. Naval Captain Barca Barquentine was shouting orders to his men. His chest puffed out as he faced the battle with a courageous heart. 

 

She glanced over at Coran. He seemed enthralled. She knew he'd probably seen this a thousand times too. She couldn't really sit still. It was likely there was no point in her hiding her fidgeting. He was a very perceptive man but she liked to believe that he couldn't read her that easily. Coran scooted a little closer to her. The scent of his cologne reminded her of a sweet shop. She let herself relax a bit. There was no harm in having a nice cuddle on the couch. That wouldn't lead to anything nefarious.

 

Barca was getting into an intense sword fight now. He swung his Altean broadsword through the air triumphantly. Coran had stopped looking at the display. His ears were twitching and he was quite clearly staring at how tightly the black fabric of her shirt was clinging to her bosoms. She was feeling rather hot now. She thought she might dissolve into a puddle.

 

“Coran,” Nayni said.

 

His ears drooped in embarrassment and he opened his mouth to speak.

 

“I don't give a ruggle about this teledrama,” Nayni said.

 

The blue markings on his cheeks shimmered. She could feel that heat radiating from her core growing more intense.

 

“I don't either,” Coran said.

 

He slid his hand up her wrist. The tips of his fingers snuck beneath her glove and stroked her olive-brown skin. Coran slowly peeled off her glove. He ran his thumb across one of the green stripes on her wrist. His touch left a warm tingle in its wake and her markings began to shimmer. Nayni hesitated before she reached for his glove. She slowly pulled off the black silken glove. The skin of his hand surprised her. He had calluses but it was still smooth. He'd mentioned that he enjoyed toying with inventions in his workshop. It was more evident now that she finally got a glimpse of his bare hands. 

 

Nayni looked up at him. His violet eyes looked hungry but his expression was one of tenderness.

 

“We do this your way,” Coran cooed. “I don't want to force you into something you're not ready for.”

 

Her bottom lip started to quiver. He was so compassionate and gentle. This foppish red-head had torn away her emotional armor. He'd cracked her open just like Tomyko had.

 

“I want to be with you,” Nayni said.

 

Coran smiled.

 

“So, a kiss would be perfectly fine with you?” Coran asked.

 

Nayni just nodded. She was still quite terrified but she was so desperate for it. He tilted up her round face. She felt the bristly hairs of his mustache scraping against her button nose. She melted when their lips met. He was handling her like a virginal maiden but that's what she needed. His lips tasted of that awful spiced tea he guzzled down but it felt so divine.

 

Coran cupped her round face in his hands. She felt his damp breath on her skin when he pulled away. His creamy flesh was flushed and the markings on his cheeks were shimmering like stars. Nayni lay back. The sound effects from the teledrama were melding with the swell of the epic soundtrack. He let his hair loose. The red curls fell about his shoulders and it made him look like a lion. She ran her fingers through those silky red locks. 

 

Coran nuzzled his face into her neck as he ran his hands along the hard muscles of her arms. 

 

“This shirt---” Coran chuckled. “If you went out in this, every Altean man and woman would be fighting to get in your bed---”

 

He slipped his hand beneath the tight fabric. She felt his fingers brush over the jagged scar on her side. Her muscles tensed at first but once he teased one of her green stripes she relaxed. She shuddered with pleasure and he grinned.

 

“And this body---you should model for fitness magazines,” Coran said.

 

“You could be a pinup model,” Nayni chuckled.

 

This pleased him quite a bit and he reached beneath her pants. Nayni squirmed and her ears flushed. He worked his fingers over the sensitive stripes of her folds with a wicked grin. She reached for his hand and pulled it away.

 

“Oh quiznack, I'm sorry,” Coran stammered.

 

“No, it's all right,” Nayni said. “I just rather---I rather this not happen on the couch.”

 

She did not want her first time with him to be on the couch like a drunken hookup after a night of bar hopping. She took him by the hand as she led him back to her bedroom. He was already undoing the buttons of his overcoat. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for another kiss. They tumbled into her bed. She could hear the muffled sounds of the teledrama coming from the other room. 

 

She wriggled out of her shirt. Once he slipped out of his clothes she actually had to take a moment to recover. He was so beautifully put together. A thin patch of red hair ran down his belly to that very impressive looking member. Even in the dim lighting of the room, she could see the light dusting of freckles on his pale flesh. Nayni ran her hands over his lean muscles. She was practically drooling as her fingers danced over the blue stripes that ran along the curves of his muscles. 

 

He gingerly spread apart her legs. He held her close and kissed her with a deep, unrelenting passion. It had been so long since she'd bedded a man. She winced when he eased himself into her. He whispered reassurances into her ear and stroked her brown hair. Her muscles slowly relaxed. Nayni started to grind her hips against his.

 

They fit together so nicely. It was rather unexpected but it made her swoon. He was so slow and gentle. They cradled each other as he slowly started to quicken his pace. She felt the heat and the pressure mounting as he brought her closer to the brink. It'd been so long that she couldn't hold out for very long.

 

“Mister Smythe, I'm---” Nayni gasped.

 

He chuckled. She was so embarrassed. He dove deeper into her. It was so unexpected that she gasped. She dug her fingers into his back. Her toes curled and she squirmed. A grin crept across his face as her markings flared. He'd gotten her to cum so easily it left her feeling a tad abashed. She felt the warm flood of his seed as he released.

 

Coran's mustache felt damp as he kissed her. She couldn't stop smiling. She felt all of her worries and fears wash away as she lay with him. Their limbs were still tangled together and their skin slick with sweat. He cupped her round face in his hands. That fiery red hair was a mess and clinging to his face. She felt light-headed from the overwhelming joy. She finally felt free after all of these deca-phoebs she'd spent in darkness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

She could see it now. The girl had Coran's eyes. She had his nose. She was built like him too. But her face was round like Nayni's. Her complexion was lighter than Nayni's but those underlying olive tones were still there. The soft light of the room made her red hair have this angelic quality. She looked a bit younger then Allura was but still on the cusp of womanhood. The poor thing was so shaken that she was just sitting on the floor.

 

Pidge was struggling to keep her distance. Nayni could tell the Green Paladin was enthralled. This Altean girl looked like she'd just seen a ghost. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Coran but she seemed to be doing everything she could to avoid looking at Nayni.

 

The Terrapin Elder seemed amused. Well, Nayni wasn't sure. He just was blinking his one eye a bit more than he normally did. 

 

"Orange One we found your hatchling!" The Elder said. "We will have feast." 

 

“We don't have a hatchling,” Coran said.

 

He hesitated. Tears were welling up in that girl's eyes.

 

“My people get something called the Slipperies,” Coran explained. “Once we go through that phase we can no longer make hatchlings. My mate and I didn't get together until after that part of our lives.”

 

“But she say she is your hatchling,” The Elder pressed.

 

The young girl nodded. She tucked one of her red curls behind her ear.

 

“My parents---died before they had the Slipperies,” The girl stammered. “This is all wrong.”

 

“Well, Dorothy, I don't think you're in Kansas anymore,” Pidge said.

 

Pidge cracked a grin. Nayni didn't know what on Altea that phrase meant but Pidge thought it was amusing. The red-headed girl shifted. She looked Pidge up and down and furrowed her brow.

 

"Pidge, where am I?" she pressed. "Where are Allura and the others?" 

 

Pidge raised an eyebrow.

 

“I'm sorry, we've never met before,” Pidge said.

 

The Altean girl's eyes widened. She leaned back against the healing pod. She was terrified. Nayni could tell the girl was starting to panic. Coran actually stole to her side. He knelt down beside her and rested a hand on her shoulder. His smile was so warm that even Nayni felt comforted by it.

 

“Calm down, it's all right. We'll get this sorted,” Coran said. “You clearly know who we are, but we don't know who you are. What's your name?”

 

The girl took a deep breath. She was trying to fight off her tears.

 

“I'm Coreya Adelfa Leocadia Smythe,” the girl stammered. “I'm Royal Advisor to Princess Allura and the Paladins of Voltron.”

 

It troubled her to explain this. Nayni could tell. Coreya just saw them as her parents. Parents knew the name of their child. They didn't need to explain anything. But Coreya wasn't theirs. They'd never had children and they never would.

 

Pidge pulled up her computer interface on her wrist. The glow of the green display reflected off the lenses of her round glasses.

 

“Do you remember how you got here, Coreya?” Pidge asked.

 

“The last thing I remember was---” Coreya began.

 

She hesitated. Her wide violet eyes darted between them all. Was she weighing whether or not she could tell them? If Coreya was that paranoid then maybe the Nayni she was related to wasn't that different.

 

"Allura went on a mission with one of---our allies," Coreya said. "It was a very dangerous sector of space. I didn't like her going in alone so I followed. I was sucked into this thing---you called it a white hole, Pidge, and now I'm here." 

 

The girl was being very vague. Nayni understood though. It's exactly what she would've done if she was surrounded by new faces. It didn't matter that they appeared friendly. Coreya had no idea where she was. They were all familiar to her but clearly, they were different from what she knew. 

 

Coran's touch was relaxing the girl. She was fighting back tears but seemed so overjoyed to be in his presence. Nayni had seen him be this way with Allura. She'd done it too. It was just surreal to witness this unfolding with Coreya. Nayni didn't like the way it was making her feel.

 

Pidge scrolled through the data on her interface. Her face was scrunched up in concentration.

 

"Well, from my scans I can tell your Lion is constructed from the same materials that ours are," Pidge explained. "That's probably how you managed to survive being tossed into our reality." 

 

Coreya smiled and shook her head.

 

“Pidge, you're just casually explaining to me how I nearly died and have been flung into an alternate universe,” Coreya said. “Its so like you that it's a bit scary.”

 

“I'm just telling you my theories,” Pidge said. “I could be wrong but that doesn't happen often.”

 

A grin crept across Pidge's face. Coreya finally looked at Nayni. It made her feel uneasy and warm at the same time.

 

"The fact that you're standing here right now---" Coreya said. "It's enough evidence to me that I'm not where I'm supposed to be. I need to get back. They need the Blue Lion to form Voltron. I need to be there for the Princess. I need to get back to---" 

 

Seeing this girl get so worked up stirred such a strange sense of urgency within Nayni. 

 

"Listen," Nayni said. 

 

She kept her tone firm but reassuring. She was just as unnerved by all of this but someone needed to be strong for Coreya. Nayni wasn't her mother but she was a reflection of that woman. That strength needed to come from her.

 

“I know what its like to be confronted by ghosts,” Nayni said. “I came face to face with another version of my dead wife not that long ago. I know what you're going through. I know this is a lot to take in but you can trust us. We'll help you get back home.”

 

Coreya nodded. She was still desperately trying to fend off those tears that were fighting to escape.

 

“Okay,” Coreya said. “I'll---I'll come with you.”

 

She bit down on her lip. The expression on Coreya's face looked so familiar that Nayni thought she was looking into a mirror. Coran gave her a reassuring pat on the back. Coran was smiling but Nayni could see that pained look in his eye. Nayni could sense it. She could feel it in her very core. Seeing this Altean girl was a glaring reminder of the time they'd wasted. Coreya's wide eyes were taunting them. She was a living and breathing example of what could have been.

 


	4. Family Affair

Coreya had loosened up a bit. _Only just a bit_. Everyone was gawking at the three of them. The atmosphere on the bridge was incredibly awkward. That red-headed girl was hovering around them and it felt oddly right. But it _wasn't_ right. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Two Blue Lions were in the hangar and there were too many Paladins on the bridge. Nayni had been through some intense debriefings since she'd woken her from that cryopod but she suspected this one was going to be especially interesting.

 

Nayni came up to Coreya's shoulder. It was strange to be looking up at a girl that she was supposed to have such an intimate connection with but she'd barely just met. Coran thought if they let the girl ask some questions that it would help build some trust. Shiro and Nayni had been hesitant but Allura had vetoed that decision. Coreya was looking Lance over with a very confused look on her face.

 

"You're a girl where I'm from," Coreya said.

 

Allura blushed a bit. Lance's mouth hung open. After everything they'd gone through with The Advisor, they shouldn't be surprised by how different these other realities were yet, here he was.

 

"Are you two together too?" Coreya asked.

 

"Yes," Allura said.

 

Lance's eyes widened.

 

"Wait so that means---" Lance said.

 

This was apparently going to stir up a discussion for the young couple. This wasn't exactly the time for that though. Nayni forgot that humans needed these things explained to them. Alteans didn't make assumptions or ask too many questions. People just loved who they loved. Lance looked rather panicked. He kept his gaze locked to the tips of his white boots.

 

Shiro swooped in before the situation could become more awkward.

 

"Have you always piloted the Blue Lion?" Shiro asked. "Lance started out with Blue then Allura took over."

 

"Allura and I operated the Castle for quite some time," Coreya explained. "Keith used to pilot the Red Lion but once our Shiro vanished, Keith took over the Black Lion and---"

 

She looked to Coran. She was practically beaming.

 

"My Father piloted the Blue Lion after Paladin Blaytz died," Coreya said. "And I apparently shared the same connection with it."

 

Nayni immediately found her ears were flushed. Imagining Coran in Paladin armor was getting her quite flustered. Coran didn't seem to believe the girl but she looked so proud that it must be true.

 

"This was your armor too," Coreya said.

 

"Why not the traditional blue?" Hunk asked.

 

Coreya brushed her fiery curls over her shoulder and grinned.

 

"Because this shade looks absolutely stunning with our hair color, darling," Coreya said.

 

 _By Groggery, she was his spawn._ Now that she examined the color of the panels Nayni realized it matched the blue hue of their markings perfectly. That would be what Coran would do. Of course, he'd have his Paladin armor designed to highlight his best features. Coreya toyed with the end of one of her curls in a very similar fashion to how Coran twirled the end of his mustache.

 

"Did your Keith end up joining the Blade of Marmora too?" Coreya asked.

 

Shiro nodded.

 

"It was shortly after I escaped from the Galra," Shiro explained. "Then I took over as Black Paladin again."

 

Coreya furrowed her brow.

 

"My Allura became the Black Paladin after he left so I assumed---" Coreya said.

 

Well, Nayni could believe that without question. This really surprised the Princess. She clutched at her chest in shock. Pidge pursed her lips and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

 

"But if you and Allura both pilot Lions, who's manning the Castle?" Pidge asked.

 

Coreya seemed hesitant to continue. Nayni saw the girl's eyes flicker towards Coran for the briefest moment.

 

"One of our new allies is part Altean,” Coreya explained. “It took some work but he's able to operate the Castle with some help from Shiro.”

 

Someone from her universe was part Altean? Nayni's heart started to race. If this person was there, could they be here?

 

“Who is it? Who is the other Altean?” Nayni pressed.

 

Her tone came off a bit more aggressive than intended. Enough so that it made Hunk cringe. Coreya had gone rigid. It felt like Nayni was watching Coran puzzle over a decision. Finally, the girl sighed.

 

"I know not if he is still your enemy here or if he ever was," Coreya said. "But Zarkon's son, Lotor, is the one who holds the title of Castle Helmsman now."

 

“Lotor?” Lance said breathlessly.

 

He shot a glance at Allura. The Princess seemed rather unsettled.

 

Nayni wasn't sure how to feel. There had been rumors that Honerva had been with child before the catastrophic events that led to the great Galra war but if Lotor was really that child, he would be one of the oldest Alteans that had ever existed. He looked like he could be. The Prince certainly had the ears and the hair.

 

"We must discuss that more later!" Coran said. "An Altean hybrid as the Castle's Helmsman! You must've found some interface that amplifies his ability to channel quintessence--"

 

He was wide-eyed and enthralled.

 

"Yes, yes! It was a bit nervewracking but Hunk and I---" Coreya trailed off.

 

She bit her bottom lip and her ear twitched. Now Nayni felt like she was looking in a mirror again. The girl had been so excited and now she'd devolved into a state of quiet embarrassment. She couldn't really look at the Yellow Paladin for very long.

 

"Well---later you said," Coreya stammered.

 

It took less than a tik for her to collect herself again.

 

"Do you have dealings with Lotor as well?" Coreya asked.

 

"Oh yeah," Pidge said. "He's how we found Nanny."

 

Allura's ears perked up.

 

"She'd been in a cryopod on the Ark vessel," Allura added. "Lotor gave us her coordinates as a sign of good faith."

 

Coreya's expression fell. She'd said her parents were dead. Allura hadn't done it on purpose but she'd hit a sore spot for the girl. Nayni had seen that same pain in Allura's eyes countless times. This girl had been through that. Coreya and Allura had faced the death of their family, the loss of their homeworld and everything they'd ever known. They were just two adolescent girls that were in the midst of an intergalactic war that was thousands of deca-phoebs old.

 

Nayni stiffened. She wasn't going to force this child through that pain.

 

"So you got here through a white hole?" Nayni asked. "If we're going to get you home we need to know more about that."

 

"It wasn't safe," Coreya pressed. "I'm not even sure how it happened. I can't remember. I didn't even realize I was someplace else until I stumbled out of that healing pod and saw you two---"

 

Nayni hadn't exactly done a good job of steering the subject to something else. It had come back to her parents again. It had come back to these other versions of them. Pidge brought up her computer interface. She hunched down and looked over the green display. Her wide brown eyes flickered over the charts and text that were scrolling across the screen.

 

"Yeah, I don't think we should go flying into a while hole anytime soon," Pidge said. "There are too many unknown variables involved with that."

 

She peeked out over the top of her screen. She looked over the other Paladins. Nayni had come to know what that expression on her face meant. Pidge was going to present them with an idea that she knew no one was going to be a fan of.

 

"The Other Castle could open portals to alternate realities," Pidge said.

 

Hunk vigorously shook his head and folded his arms across his chest.

 

"Nope, don't even finish that thought, Pidge," Hunk said. "We are not going to mess with that thing. It's a pile of wreckage and that's how it should stay!"

 

The Blade of Marmora were guarding the crash site now. That twisted pile of metal and ancient power was still sitting on the surface of that desert world. The idea of seeing it again sent a chill down Nayni's spine. Coreya raised a brow.

 

" _Other Castle_?" Coreya asked.

 

"It's a long story--" Shiro sighed.

 

"It sucked and it was scary and I don't want anything to do with that thing," Hunk said.

 

He was quite worked up. Nayni knew he was overly cautious. It was a trait that she and the Yellow Paladin shared. She thought this idea was more dangerous then blindly plummeting into a white hole. She rather spend deca-phoebs traversing the universe trying to find another rift than set foot on that abomination again.

 

"There's got to be another way," Nayni pressed.

 

She felt Coran's hand on her shoulder. She had started trembling and she hadn't even noticed.

 

"Do you remember the coordinates of where you disappeared?" Nayni said. "Maybe we could go there. We have Voltron. It could survive something like that. It's gone to other realities before."

 

"Yes," Pidge said. "But that was a rift to a very specific reality."

 

The Green Paladin hesitated.

 

"We don't even know how we could navigate in there," Pidge said. "It's not some passage directly to where Coreya came from. I don't know if it's even possible to figure out how to get there. We don't know how this happened anyway---"

 

"We are not touching that Castle!" Nayni snapped.

 

She'd shouted at them. Her face felt hot.

 

"Calm down," Shiro said. "Using the technology from the Other Castle might be dangerous but it involves a lot less unknown factors then taking Coreya back through the white hole. This is our best option."

 

Nayni clenched her jaw. Her heart was hammering in her chest. It felt like that icy sensation was creeping up her spine and that same terror was closing in around her. She knew it wasn't real. It couldn't be but she couldn't shake that feeling. Nayni felt like she was suffocating.

 

"This is too dangerous," Nayni pressed. "We all saw the awful things it was capable of."

 

Coran reached for her. The palms of his hands glowed with the blue hue of his quintessence and he flooded her with feelings of reassurance and warmth. Feeling the relief from the crushing weight of that terror made her gasp. It was shameful for this to happen in front of others. Allura came forward. The way the Princess was looking at her with those indigo eyes made Nayni's heart sink.

 

"We're dropping this for now," Allura said. "Let's take a quintant to look at our options."

 

Nayni prayed they'd figure something out. She knew Pidge was brilliant enough to come up with something, anything else. Shiro was an expert strategist. Hunk was a superb engineer and was always prepared for the worst-case scenario. Lance was still an obnoxious sass but he was dedicated to the core and a skilled pilot. Allura was a powerful Alchemist like her father, she was capable of so much and Coran had an encyclopedic knowledge of the universe. She believed in all of them. They could figure out another way. They would come up with the perfect plan like they always did. _They had to._

 

 

* * *

 

 

Nayni had tucked her hands behind her back. She was maintaining the rigid posture of a Guardsman on duty. She looked perfectly calm and appeared confident but Coran knew she was terrified. He'd watched her restyle her bun so many times. She'd been cursing and fussing with her uniform until it was perfect. Coran knew she had nothing to worry about. He knew that his mothers were going to love her.

 

They ascended the gilded set of stairs to the front door of his childhood home. He was already twirling the end of his mustache. It'd been quite some time since he'd brought someone home to meet them. He'd donned his uniform for this visit. He knew Mother loved to see him in it. Nayni looked him over. She looked perfect from head to toe but she did not see it that way.

 

"You look far prettier than I do," Nayni said. "What will they think when you present me to them?"

 

"They'll think you're gorgeous," Coran said.

 

He leaned over. She could feel his fiery hair brushing against her skin.

 

"I will say it again and I will say it a thousand times more if I must," Coran whispered. "I couldn't be prouder to have you by my side."

 

She had the tiniest of smiles and he caught the slight flush clinging to the tips of her pointed ears. It was typical for a servant to answer the door and announce their arrival but he was not surprised to see Mum yank open the doors. Her blonde hair was styled into an elaborate braided bun. Her pale flesh had a rosy hue that brought out the golden markings on her cheeks. That wide grin on her face made her eyes crinkle. Mum was getting up there in age now but he still thought she was the most glamorous woman to ever walk the streets of Altea.

 

Mum immediately engulfed the two of them in her slender arms. Nayni's plump cheeks were pressed up against the white frills of her gown and she looked rather panicked.

 

"I'm so excited to see you two!" Mum exclaimed.

 

Coran could hear his bones popping as Mum latched onto them more tightly.

 

"Nayni---this is my mother---Imlan," Coran grunted.

 

She finally released them. Nayni took in a deep breath. Her hair was a bit mussed up now. Coran had gotten so used to Imlan's greetings. Ever since he'd left for the Space Squad as a young lad she always gave him a good strangling upon seeing him. She was beaming. There was a twinkle in her eye. Imlan was always very friendly to any Altean he'd brought home. Mother had told Coran that she'd flash her smile even if she disliked them. He hoped this wouldn't be the case with Nayni.

 

"It's such a delight to finally meet you, dearie," Imlan said.

 

"Nice to m-meet you, m'lady," Nayni said stiffly.

 

Mum looked at Coran with such a sly grin on her face. Well, that was a good sign. Imlan was quite a bit different from Mother. Coran felt like he took after her much more. Imlan ushered them into the foyer and was already chattering nonstop. Nayni could barely get a word in. She quickly gave up and just nodded with that awkward forced smile.

 

Exquisite portraits of his ancestors were scattered around the room. A marble bust of his grandfather was perched atop a pedestal. Coran had always idolized him, it's what had inspired him to grow his magnificent mustache. Imlan had decorated the home so it looked grander than the Royal Palace itself.

 

Her touch could be seen in every navy blue rug and intricate design on the marble tile. There were traces of gold in nearly every detail of the decor. The only room she hadn't touched was Mother's private study. It was full of dusty ancient tomes and Mother always kept a box of her favorite cigars in the top drawer of her desk.

 

Mother crept from around the corner. She was silent like a predator. She always had been. His schoolmates had always found her quite scary. The way Mother carried herself made her seem very intimidating. She had a deep voice and tended to look quite grumpy. She had the orange hair that ran in the Smythe family and she kept it closely cropped to her head. She always had. She possessed the same prominent nose he did and blue markings. Now that she'd retired she'd been able to get a nice tan from the countless vargas she spent reading on the beach.

 

Coran had always been the first to notice her as a child. The subtle scent of herbs from the garden always clung to her clothes and he found it comforting. It reminded him of how she'd hold him in her arms at night while she read him stories in bed. She was quite talented at doing silly voices for the characters. She only ever showed that side to him and Corra. It made them both feel so special.

 

Nayni saw her and went rigid again. The Guard Captain's bow was so stiff and mechanical.

 

"It is an honor to meet you, Madame Smythe," Nayni said.

 

"The honor is all mine, Captain Nordontu," Mother said.

 

She politely bowed and Nayni didn't really know how to react after that. Imlan was tugging on his sleeve, she was holding back a fit of giggles.

 

"You may address me as Coratia if it pleases you, Captain," Mother said.

 

"Nayni is fine---" Nayni began.

 

"I prefer to call her my ' _Sweet Nougat_ ,'" Coran said.

 

Nayni cringed. She normally would've snapped at him for that but he knew she was too nervous to do so in the presence of his mothers. Coratia's expression remained stone cold even though Imlan was chuckling.

 

"Feel free to give him a good scolding if it's required, Nayni," Coratia said. "He can be an insufferable sass. I should know, I raised him."

 

He was so pleased. He'd discovered how delightful it was to get Mother ruggled up when he was an adolescent. He and Corra had teamed up on a few occasions. They always got a stern talking to but it was worth it just to see Coratia's face turn red and her nose scrunch up.

 

"Corra will be around shortly," Coratia said. "Her partner is an agreeable sort and their children are very sweet despite being incredibly rambunctious."

 

Coratia had that glint in her eye and Coran knew what was coming.

 

"It's funny how your little sister managed to find herself a suitable partner and provide me with grandchildren before you did," Coratia teased.

 

"Yes but my offspring will be superior to hers, that's why you have to wait a bit longer," Coran said.

 

He loved those little bunghoppers though. His nephews were still so young and full of zest. They left messes of disastrous proportions everywhere they went but they were still a pair of young gentlemen.

 

"Tell me about your family, Nayni," Coratia said.

 

He knew she'd been a bit nervous about this question. Her relatives were perfectly charming but she still counted Tomyko's family in that group. She mostly just kept in touch with Tomyko's little brother, Tomio. He was a cadet in the Army now. Nayni worried that would be some sort of scandal but he didn't see how.

 

"It's just me and my mother now," Nayni said. "She sold off the bovidae ranch and bought herself a nice cottage closer to town."

 

"Ah yes, Coran mentioned that you grew up in the North," Coratia said.

 

Imlan toyed with one of her blonde curls and wrinkled up her nose.

 

"I did too, my dear, I just couldn't stand the snow and the smell of dung everywhere," Imlan said.

 

"I do prefer the more moderate climate of the South," Nayni admitted.

 

Imlan nodded in approval.

 

They retired to the den as they waited for his little sister to arrive. Nayni was rather tense at first. It probably didn't help that Coran kept giggling and whispering with Imlan over every little reaction from Coratia. Mother was asking questions that Coran knew she already was aware of what the answers were. That's how she was though. Coratia always wanted to get other people's perspective on various matters. She always was striving to gain a deep understanding of people's inner workings. It's why she'd been such a successful diplomat. Nayni relaxed a bit but she still seemed overwhelmed by it all.

 

Nayni was helping Corra wrangle up his nephews by the night's end. She was in her natural element. Nayni knew how to keep little ones in line but she was far more patient with them than with her Guardsmen. His sister was still attempting to have a civilized discussion with her but it just wasn't working out. Corra had to shout over the high pitched squeals of her children in order for Nayni to hear her. All that yelling made her work in the Archives sound much more intense than it actually was.

 

Coratia was hovering in the doorway with a glass of nunvil in hand. She swirled the blue liquid around as she watched them. Mother nodded to him and a moment had come that Coran knew would be happening from the instant they stepped through the doors. He got to his feet. Nayni looked panicked at first but he gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Her ears twitched as she watched him depart.

 

Coran followed Mother out into the foyer. She still possessed the grace and poise of a cat. She took a sip of her nunvil and traced her finger along the rim of the glass. They could still hear the chaos raging from the den. Mother took a breath. She was about to ask him the three questions that she always did. Every time he'd brought a partner home to meet the family she'd pose them. _Do they make you happy? Do you think they want you for your family title or for your heart? What would the future look like for the two of you?_

 

"I've never seen you so happy," Coratia said.

 

That was not what she normally said. Coran just nodded. She smiled at him like she had when he was just a boy presenting her with some useless contraption he'd constructed in the workshop.

 

"I like her," Coratia said. "How does her family feel about you?"

 

That was another unusual question.

 

"Moreya adores me," Coran said.

 

He felt rather smug about that.

 

"She only came for a brief visit but by the end, she pulled me aside and was blubbering like a snorfatcher that found the perfect bungafruit," Coran went on. "She told me that she'd been worrying that Nayni wasn't going to find happiness after losing her wife."

 

He didn't want to dig too much into that conversation. Moreya had confessed a lot of her personal fears and hopes for her daughter. It wasn't appropriate to go around telling everyone about that. She'd pleaded with him not to tell Nayni too much about it. Mother was perceptive enough not to press. She took another sip of her nunvil.

 

"I've heard she's gotten some scars during her service to the Crown," Coratia said.

 

"Did you have Corra snooping through the Archives again for you?" Coran said.

 

His mother just chuckled.

 

"I remember seeing her picture in the newsfeeds," Coratia said. "It was quite adorable to see the Princess presenting her with that medal."

 

That had been incredibly adorable. He'd teared up a bit at the ceremony. It had been terrifying to see Alfor and Nayni fight off the raiders. It shook him to his core to hold her bleeding in his arms on that shuttle. That's when he'd realized how much she meant to him. Coran swallowed hard.

 

He'd known from a very young age that the Smythes had a way of going about these things. He'd contemplating presenting this idea to his mother before but it had never worked out. The relationship had fallen apart before he'd gotten this far. But this time he couldn't let that chance slip away.

 

"Is she suitable---" Coran began.

 

Coratia held up her hand to silence him.

 

"I will tell you the family secret," Coratia said. "It doesn't matter if the elder Smythes find your partners to be suitable or not."

 

She brushed his red curls away from his face. Her soft touch still made him feel like a little boy.

 

"So, do _you_ find her suitable?" Coratia asked.

 

"The woman could wrestle a rabid yelmore to the ground with her bare hands," Coran said. "I can't let someone like that get away."

 


	5. Oh Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the massive gap in updates. I'll be honest, I've been struggling with depression quite a bit. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things.

“Hit me again, Mister Garett,” Nayni sighed.

 

Hunk slid two more of the fluffy green ' _panned cakes_ ' onto her plate. Nayni watched him drizzle a healthy portion of the sticky blue syrup atop them. The Yellow Paladin had explained this was an adaption of an Earth food but it wasn't as good as the original. She'd didn't care. It was divine. They were so soft and warm. When they were drenched in this syrup they melted in her mouth.

 

He'd completely taken over the Castle's Kitchen. The smell had drawn her in and she hadn't been able to leave. He hovered over the stove with his apron splattered with batter and flour. Nayni was trying not to scarf down the whole plate in a few tiks. It was most difficult. Her fingers were sticky from that sugary syrup but she just couldn't stop herself.

 

Hunk poured the last of the batter into his pan. She listened to it sizzle. That incredible smell had completely consumed the kitchen. She just wanted to wallow in it for vargas. The Yellow Paladin possessed many gifts but his cooking skills were by far the ones she appreciated most. He served himself a massive stack of panned cakes. Tiny beads of sweat clung to the bronze, reddish-brown skin of his forehead and his orange headband was coming loose.

 

He set down the plate on the table. He was licking his lips in anticipation. Nayni tried to sneak one of the cakes off his plate but he just shot her a dirty look.

 

“I'm cutting you off, Nanny,” Hunk said. “You've already had over half of them anyway.”

 

“You can sacrifice one panned cake,” Nayni growled.

 

“They're _pancakes_ ,” Hunk corrected.

 

He slid his plate closer to him and she scowled. She'd eat the rest of them if she wanted to. He was so big though. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to wrestle him down and restrain him so she could steal them. Hunk stabbed at the pancakes with his spork and stuffed the huge chunk into his mouth. Nayni tried to put on a smile but it ending up looking more like a sneer. 

 

“But you're my favorite Paladin,” Nayni said. “And you'll stay my favorite if you let me have just one more.”

 

Hunk snorted.

 

“Allura's your favorite,” Hunk said. “I'm not falling for that.”

 

“If you let me have more pancakes then you'd be my new favorite,” Nayni said.

 

She was trying to keep an intimidating scowl on her face but it was hard to when she took another bite of her pancakes. Hunk leaned back in his seat. 

 

“Nanny, you're just eating your feelings,” Hunk said. “I know because I do it too.”

 

Nayni's face reddened.

 

“I am not,” Nayni seethed.

 

She _was_ eating her feelings. The idea of having to get near the Other Castle again had her terrified and seeing Coreya strutting around was reminding her about all the possibilities she'd let go to waste. She'd spent deca-phoebs running away from her feelings and it had been torture. She had Coran now but it would never undo all that time she'd spent in agony pining for him. She'd let her fear keep her from that happiness. 

 

She shoved another sporkful of pancake into her mouth. Hunk was on the same page with her. She was certain that some of the other's were hesitant too but it was only the Yellow Paladin that was just as against the idea as she was. If Nayni had it her way they'd implode that entire planet just to wipe that horrid thing from the face of existence. She stabbed her pancakes more aggressively. 

 

Hunk awkwardly swallowed his food. He looked like he just wanted to run away. Nayni let out a sigh.

 

“Fine. I'm eating my feelings,” Nayni confessed through grit teeth.

 

“I knew it!” Hunk said.

 

Hunk slammed his fist on the table in triumph. 

 

“Don't bang on the table!” Nayni snapped.

 

“Yes, Nanny,” Hunk sighed.

 

He toyed with the edge of one of his pancakes and pouted. Nayni leaned forward. Now that she had a belly full of sweets she felt better prepared to deal with the current situation.

 

" _That ruggling Castle_ ," Nayni said. "We can't let them go messing with it." 

 

“Right!?” Hunk exclaimed.

 

Hunk's eyes darted towards the doorway nervously. He leaned forward too. His black bangs were falling in his face.

 

“Look, I respect Pidge but this is the worst idea she's ever had,” Hunk said.

 

He stuffed another bite of pancake in his mouth. A little bit of syrup dribbled out the side of his mouth and he wiped it away.

 

“Okay, honest opinion, Nanny,” Hunk said. “Do you think Coreya actually forgot what happened or just isn't telling us?”

 

“I'm not sure,” Nayni said. “I know what I'd do if I were in her shoes. I'd do anything I could to get back home but I don't know if I'd go blabbing about every little thing that I was up to.”

 

Hunk nodded.

 

“I'm not an expert in theoretical physics,” Hunk said. “But I think you're right. With Voltron and Allura's Altean superpowers, I think we could make it through that white hole. We just have to find the right one.”

 

"The only way to find the right one is by asking Coreya," Nayni said. 

 

Coran and Nayni were her parents in _her_ reality. She already seemed to trust them more than the others. If Nayni talked to her, she could find out for sure if the girl just couldn't remember or if she was withholding that information out of fear. 

 

“But if she doesn't remember---” Nayni said.

 

Hunk stroked his chin. He always jutted out his jaw a bit when he was really trying to puzzle something out. 

 

"That memory upload device that Coran used for the Alfor AI!" Hunk said. "Maybe if we get her to upload her memories we could sort through them and maybe--- _maybe_ it could help her recall what happened.”

 

“We cannot toss her in there against her will!” Nayni snapped.

 

Hunk recoiled. Nayni cringed. It had been such a gut reaction that she hadn't thought before she spoke.

 

“I'm sorry,” Nayni said. “I shouldn't have raised my voice like that, Mister Garett.”

 

Hunk still looked a tad frightened but he relaxed.

 

“I don't want to treat her like a prisoner either,” Hunk said. “I think if she wants to get back home as badly as she says, Coreya will probably jump at the opportunity.”

 

His logic was sound. Nayni was nervous to get to know the girl more. She could barely look at her but she couldn't allow them to tinker with the Other Castle. It should be the absolute last resort.

 

“This is a reasonable alternative,” Nayni said. “I think our plan could work.”

 

Hunk's expression brightened.

 

“I'll make her cookies or something?” Hunk said. “Cooking is the quickest way to anyone's heart.”

 

“Yes, yes,” Nayni said. “The chocolate ones.”

 

That splendid human invention would definitely have the same effect on Coreya as it did with her. The girl possessed some of her genes so she had to have a sweet tooth just like Nayni. 

 

“Oh yeah,” Hunk cheered. “Nanny and Hunk teaming up to save our friends from the Demon Castle.”

 

He held out his fist and Nayni raised an eyebrow. She just stared at it for a few tiks and his expression fell. Hunk just sighed.

 

“It's a fist bump,” Hunk said. “Ya know to celebrate something? Coran didn't show you?”

 

Nayni made a fist. She didn't understand these human traditions at all. Most of them were rather queer. He grinned with delight as he bumped his fist gently with hers. She loved this boy but he was quite peculiar. Seeing him happy over such a minor thing warmed her heart though and she couldn't help but smile.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Coran had come up with half a dozen elaborate plans but he'd scrapped all of them. He was practically tearing his hair out over how to ask Nayni. At first, he thought she'd like something on the beach. He was going to rent a boat and take her out on the ocean. He'd crack open a bottle of Space Pirate Gin and dress up in his finest nautical themed suit. He'd set it up just like a scene from _Barca Barquentine._ But then he remembered she got seasick very easily so she'd probably just have her head hanging over the railing and retch into the churning ocean waters. 

 

So, Coran had decided it was best to ask on dry land. Nayni had a soft side. He thought about paying an orchestra to play and he'd buy dozens of juniberry bouquets. Then he'd remembered she did not like letting others get a glimpse of how much of a hopeless romantic she was. She'd be so flustered that she'd probably slap him. 

 

Those were just some of the grand plans he'd made. Some had involved fireworks and expensive desserts. All of them had been so over the top but none of them felt right. He'd finally decided it was best to consult the only other Altean that was an expert on Nayni. He'd snuck away while Nayni was inspecting her Guardsmen as she did at the beginning of every movement.

 

They'd all gather in the Royal Guard headquarters and she'd go over the plans for that movement and what had gone wrong during the last one. Sometimes it only lasted a few dobashes but he'd fed her a little lie about an upcoming gala. She'd have to spend at least half a varga going over the security plans for that fictitious event. 

 

The night guard was still on duty when Coran arrived. Alfor was away on a mission with the rest of the Paladins. Allura was sitting alone in the Dining Hall. She looked so small sitting at the head of the table. The grand throne was so tall that her feet were just dangling over the edge. The Princess was looking a little blue. She always got that way when her father was off on an adventure. Her face lit up when he crept into the room. 

 

“Coran!” Allura chimed.

 

Her smile brought out the dimples on her brown cheeks.

 

“Is Nanny done yet?” Allura asked.

 

“I'm sorry not quite yet,” Coran said.

 

Coran slid into the chair next to her. He looked around the room. He didn't think any of the servants would spill the sweetbeans but he didn't want to risk it. He leaned in closer to Allura and toyed with the end of his mustache.

 

“I need help with a secret mission, Princess,” Coran said.

 

Allura nodded and hunched down. She rested her little hands on the table. She was trying to imitate how her father acted when he was having a serious meeting with the other Paladins. It was so adorable he couldn't help but smile.

 

“You mustn't tell anyone,” Coran whispered. “Especially not Nanny.”

 

"I shan't tell a soul," Allura said. 

 

Allura put on a very serious face. It was a bit _too_ serious. She patted down her periwinkle skirt, making sure she looked pristine for this important meeting they were having. Coran narrowed his eyes.

 

“I need to ask Nanny a question,” Coran said. “But I can't think of the right way to do it.”

 

Allura's little pointed ears perked up. She looked like she wanted to scream but she managed to restrain herself. She was a clever girl, he wasn't surprised she'd pieced it together already.

 

“I know I want there to be dancing,” Coran said. “She loves dancing. I thought maybe I could plan a surprise party---”

 

Allura shook her head and her silver curls bounced.

 

“Nanny hates dancing in front of a lot of people,” Allura said. “That'll make her cross.”

 

Coran nodded. He pulled his datapad out of his pocket and started taking notes.

 

“She liked dancing with me after playing dollies,” Allura explained. “But I don't really like playing those games anymore so we do it after my lessons or lunch.”

 

Oh yes! He could make her a nice dinner and then put on some soft music.

 

“What about juniberry flowers everywhere?” Coran asked. “I was thinking I could get a suit to match them.”

 

“Oh no,” Allura said.

 

He raised a brow.

 

“Nanny likes it best when you wear that,” Allura said.

 

She gestured to his uniform.

 

“She told me you look dashing in it,” Allura giggled.

 

 _That's what she liked?_ He was a bit surprised. She always complimented his flamboyant outfits. His eyes widened when he realized that Nayni usually tore them off shortly after he walked through the door. When they had hurried encounters in his office, she'd just slip off his gloves and undo his belt. Nayni would hold onto his collar and run her fingers over the rough fabric. She'd leave him fully clothed in that uniform as she sat in his lap. 

 

“Do you think she'd like it if I recited a sonnet or a poem?” Coran asked. “She's always reading those romance novels.”

 

Allura got a devilish grin and he listened intently. 

 

“Nanny showed me her favorite when she was helping me with one of my literature lessons,” Allura said.

 

His fingers hovered over the orange display of his datapad.

 

“It's called _Armor and Lace_ or something---” Allura said.

 

He typed into his datapad. That sounded vaguely familiar. He thought the actual title was a bit more elaborate and wordy than that. If he recalled properly it was about an Altean soldier that had gone off to war and was pining for their love that they'd left behind. It was a bit grim but it had really grand flowery metaphors. 

 

Coran toyed with the end of his mustache as he read over his notes. Allura reached across the table. She had to stand on the plush throne and wriggle a bit in order to actually touch his hand. The Princess narrowed her indigo eyes. She looked quite stern and serious. 

 

"Why don't you just buy her a sweet icicle and ask?" Allura said. "That's what she'd like best."

 

Coran swiped his hand across the display and deleted all of his notes. He'd been overthinking this. Nayni did enjoy grand romantic gestures but he knew it was the quiet moments alone that she cherished most. She loved when they lay in bed together with his head on her bosom. She liked when he whispered racy things in her ear when they walked the Palace halls together and no one knew why she had a blush clinging to those olive-brown cheeks.

 

He gave Allura's little hand a squeeze and planted a kiss on her forehead. Allura giggled when he mussed up her silver hair.

 

“You're an expert tactician, Princess,” Coran said. “I knew I could count on you."

 

 

* * *

 

 

Pancakes. _It smelled like pancakes._ Shiro's head felt foggy. He stumbled down the hall in a daze. That smell was luring him forward. He reached for the sleek walls to keep himself steady. He could taste them on his tongue. The rich flavor of maple seemed so real. But the smell that was in the air wasn't exactly what he was so familiar with. That scent had put him in a haze. He almost felt like he was drunk but he was sweating and his heart was racing.

 

Random clips of voices kept playing on loop. It was like whispers in his ears. They sounded so real but he knew they weren't there. They _couldn't_ be here. The tips of his fingers felt hot, even the ones of his cybernetic prosthesis. He could feel the weight of a plate in his hands. He could feel the damp warmth of steam wafting against the tawny skin of his face. He could feel the uneven surface of an old wooden floor beneath his feet. 

 

He had to stop and brace himself on the wall. Everything around him was flickering like a DVD that kept skipping. One second he was looking at the hall of the Castle and the blue lights that ran along the walls. Then within another second, he was walking down the hallway of an old house with peeling floral wallpaper and white sunlight spilling through a dormer. 

 

_Who taught you how to make such perfect pancakes, pretty boy?_

 

He hadn't heard that voice in so long. Shiro felt nauseous. He clamped a hand over his mouth. That smell. He couldn't take that smell anymore.

 

He winced. Now it smelt like something was burning. He kept his back pressed up against the cool metal walls. He was trying to focus on that sensation to keep him grounded. If he just took some deep breaths he'd be fine. He murmured to himself to breathe in and out. He had to say it aloud or else these sporadic flashes of memories would drown it out. Shiro was grinding his teeth as his nostrils flared. He felt the cool air rush into his lungs. He tried to hold it for a few seconds before he breathed out of his mouth. 

 

It felt like the air around him was thick with smoke. He felt like he could barely balance. It smelled like potpourri and he recognized the silhouette of his mother sitting in front of her piano. He could hear the sound of her fingers dancing over the keys and the slow melody that seemed to float and dance through the house.

 

He looked up at her. Her face was turned towards the sheet music that was laid out before her. His twiggy arms were shaking as he held up the plate to her. Her chuckle sounded off. It was Mommy's voice but there was an electric buzz to it. It sounded like it was coming from the broken speaker of an old boombox. 

 

“I'm sorry I burned them, Mommy,” he said.

 

She reached over. It felt like a ghost was stroking his inky black hair.

 

“I bet they're delicious anyway, sweetheart,” she cooed. “Do you want me to show you how I do it later?”

 

He was panting. He was desperate to catch his breath. He was on the Castle. He was twenty-five years old. He was a Paladin of Voltron. He wasn't on Earth. Shiro kept trying focus on these things. He tried to count the lights that were in front of him. There were three lights on the two wall panels. He was near the Castle's Kitchen.

 

“Sweetheart.”

 

It felt like static was dancing down his spine. He didn't want to look over. It was his mother's voice. It sounded like she was right next to him. She couldn't be here. It wasn't possible. Something forced his head to tilt. It was like the muscles of his neck were acting on their own. Sweat was rolling down the side of his face. There she was.

 

Something was so wrong though. His mother looked like she did when he was seven. Her skin looked soft and flawless. Her smile was warm. Her black hair framed her round face. She looked like she'd been molded from plastic. And those weren't her eyes. They were empty and cold. They were emitting a sickly yellow glow. Her presence was stirring up a nauseating mix of sorrow, fear, and comfort. The warmth was starting to overwhelm him. Tears were making his eyes burn as he fought to hold them back. 

 

"You need to get them to repair the Other Castle," his mother said. 

 

Her lips didn't move as she spoke but it didn't disturb him. With every word she uttered, he felt more at ease. 

 

“You need that power to get back to me, sweetheart,” she cooed. “You want to get back to me don't you?”

 

“Yes,” Shiro said.

 

His voice was dry and raspy.

 

“Find a way to convince them,” his mother said.

 

“Yes,” Shiro said.

 

The lights flickered and she vanished.

 

He could hear a dull ringing in his ears as if he'd been blaring music from headphones for too long. Shiro blinked his eyes a few times. His skin felt clammy and it was easier to breathe now. Something had just happened.

 

He felt off. It felt like something was swimming through his head. Something had definitely just happened but he couldn't remember what. A few seconds had gone by. He could feel that he'd lost some time but he couldn't explain how or why.

 

There was a dull pain in his temples. He ran his fingers through the white tuft of hair that fell in his face. He made his way back down the hallway. He didn't remember why he was walking towards the kitchen but the air smelled of pancakes and it was making his mouth water.

 

 


	6. Nothing Fails

In the beginning, Nayni had hated the saccharine smell of Coran's quarters but now she quite liked it. His couch was so plush that she felt like she was going to melt into it. It had been quite the movement and she'd been looking forward to spending the evening sitting on Coran's face. It had been a tad chaotic this quintant but it hadn't been due to the little Princess. 

 

Coran was fussing in his kitchen. He was still wearing his uniform, normally he tore it off as soon as he got home and slipped into his silky, soft, violet robe. He always kept his quarters lavishly decorated and pristine but it seemed even more in tip-top shape today. He'd placed a bouquet of juniberry blossoms on the end table. The embroidered curtains were drawn and he'd dimmed the lights. Apparently, he had the same thing on his mind that she did. She quite enjoyed when he set a romantic mood for their deplorable activities. 

 

He emerged from the kitchen with two sweet icicles in hand. They were a vibrant shade of pink and he looked so proud of himself. She started to salivate as soon as she saw them.

 

“I made these myself,” Coran said.

 

“Are you trying to bribe me with homemade sweets?” Nayni asked. “I'll yank your ponytail in the heat of the moment, I don't require desserts as an incentive.”

 

He just chuckled and handed her the sweet icicle. There was a glint in his violet eyes. The hue of the soft light made his orange hair look as if it were glowing. He flicked his tongue over the tip of the icicle and smirked. He was such a tease. He loved to toy with her.

 

Nayni finally took a taste. It was divine. It was better than the ones she and Allura got from the beachside stand. The fruity flavor was so fresh and she could taste the slight hint of herbs in it.

Nayni leaned back on the couch. She closed her eyes and savored the taste of it. 

 

"This is a nice treat after such an awful quintant," Nayni said. "The new cadet lost his passcard today. It was a nightmare" 

 

He sucked on his icicle. Some of the pink juices were clinging to the red hairs of his mustache.

 

“It turned out it was in his back pocket the whole time,” Nayni said. “I was so furious. If he'd actually lost it we would've had to completely redo the security clearance for every section of the Palace. He was so scared I just didn't have the heart to yell at him. I just sent him to the armory to clean the blasters for a varga.”

 

Coran cracked a grin.

 

“You've gone soft, Nayni,” Coran teased.

 

She scowled. Her Lieutenant had said the very same thing today. She'd snapped at him but he just snickered. She didn't like to admit it but

that was true. Allura and her bright little smile and chubby brown cheeks had melted her heart. Coran's had completely torn down all of her walls too. She both loved the change and despised it. Nayni took a huge bite out of her icicle to try and mask her feelings. 

 

“My quintant was quite stressful as well,” Coran said.

 

He'd sucked his icicle to a fine point and was nibbling at the tip. His quintants were always stressful. Nayni honestly didn't know how the man remained so chipper and sane. There was always something that needed planning. There was always some intergalactic crisis that he had to brief Alfor about. He'd stick around for the meetings with the Paladins as they came up with their plans to remedy it. Somehow he managed to find time to teach Allura about the intricacies of diplomacy and share a lunch with the Captain of the Guard.

 

Coran scooted closer to her. He didn't seem nearly as tall when they were sitting together. He draped his lanky arm around her. He leaned closer and a heat rushed to her round olive-brown cheeks. He was looking her right in the eye.

 

“I've been rather tense for a few quintants,” Coran confessed. “I've had something on my mind.”

 

He sucked on his icicle casually and licked the juices from his lips.

 

“Madame Nayni Oradondassen Nordontu,” Coran said “It would be my honor if you became my partner in life. Nothing would bring me more joy than spending the rest of our quintants together as equals.”

 

Nayni dropped the sweet icicle. The pink juices seeped into his plush carpet. His violet eyes were still locked on hers.

 

“I want to face all the challenges of life with you,” Coran said. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

 

Her bottom lip started trembling. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. The last time she'd heard this speech, it was in the middle of a muddy trench. Tomyko had dirt smeared all over her face and her red hair was stringy from quintants without washing. She'd crouched down to look Nayni in the eye and had asked her in front of their entire squad. Tomyko's spirit was most likely very impressed with this quiet intimate setting he'd proposed in. 

 

Coran had just posed this question as if it were a casual inquiry. He kept sucking on his sweet icicle with the tiniest of smiles on his face. He already knew the answer. Nayni took in a sharp breath. She was so choked up that she couldn't get the words out. 

 

"I-I would love nothing more than to become---" Nayni stammered. 

 

This was going to be quite the sloppy, ugly crying session. She could already feel the snot building up in her nose. She was so weepy that she could barely make out his face. His features were just a blurry blob of orange and beige. 

 

"I would love nothing more than to become N-Nayni Oradondassen Nordontu _Smythe_ ," she choked. 

 

By Altea, that was an atrocious mouthful of titles but saying it aloud made her heart feel like it was about to burst. Coran just tossed his sweet icicle over his shoulder and grinned. She sniffled and whimpered like a child who'd skinned their knee. Coran was smiling like the glorious, foppish idiot he was. He pulled her close. She felt his mustache tickling her damp skin as he planted a trail of kisses from her forehead down to her lips. It was terribly awkward because she couldn't stop blubbering.

 

“Take a deep breath,” Coran said. “You can't smother yourself now, I finally tricked the Captain of the Guard into marrying me!'

 

“Don't ruin it, you imbecile,” Nayni sniffled.

 

She tried wiping away the snot and tears on her glove. _She_ was the imbecile right now. She was trying to get a hold of herself. She was sniveling like mother did at every ruggling trivial occurrence. Coran chuckled as he wiped the tears away from her cheeks. 

 

She felt his fingers running over the curves of her body. It'd been so long since she felt that tingle of someone else's quintessence flowing through her. The sensation of his joy flowing into her was overwhelming. It was so freeing. Her muscles began to relax and the sobbing slowly started to fade. The salty tears were drying on her cheeks as he kissed her tenderly.

 

Coran's tongue still tasted of the sweet icicles that were now melting into his carpet. His hands traveled up the length of her back and she felt his fingers tugging her bun loose. His touch made it feel like static was dancing across the surface of her skin. She could feel the growing intensity of his arousal. The blue markings on his cheeks were shimmering and his face was flushed. Nayni reached up and cupped his gorgeous face in her hands. 

 

His eyes widened when her fingertips glowed green. The mingling of their heightened emotions and arousal had her ruffled. The intoxication of that intense connection made her gut feel like it was aflame. She pushed him onto his back. She brushed his red hair away from his face. Coran bucked his hips as she straddled him. It was as if their pulses were in sync. Every breath and every sigh echoed in their bodies and minds. That shared heat was consuming every inch of their flesh. 

 

Nayni tore off her glove with her teeth. Her palm felt like it was on fire. She ripped off his glove and snatched him up by the hand. The skin to skin contact made her gasp. Coran's head lulled back. His Adam's Apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. He freed his cock from his tight pants. It was engorged and throbbing. She could feel the agony of his unrelenting desire. He could feel that heat radiating from between her legs. He could feel that she was just as hungry for him.

 

He moaned as she eased herself down. Feeling every sensation twofold was so overwhelming that she couldn't make a sound. She gripped onto his hand as she rode him. She gazed into his eyes. His lips were parted and she could feel the sticky sensation of his hot breath on her skin. It had been so long since she'd experienced this that she already felt like her resolve was crumbling.

 

Even a subtle twitch of his cock made her shudder. Her legs were shaking so much that she could barely move. He was so desperate. She could feel that fire in his belly and his desperation. She felt the rush of that deeply rooted shared affection. The markings on his face were glowing as he pumped himself into her. Every want and desire didn't need to be uttered. She could feel what Coran wanted and she responded without a second thought. Coran arched his back to drive himself deeper into her. He rested his hand on the small of her back to hold her steady. 

 

All of the things she'd pleaded for during their past encounters just manifested. She could feel him in her thoughts and with every heartbeat. Their pleasure was rising. A soft moan finally escaped. She could feel his pulse quickening and gripped onto his hand more tightly. Every stripe on their bodies felt so raw and exposed. The ecstasy seemed to emanate from those glowing markings down to their very core. That final swell of euphoria made them cry out. Her eyes went wide. She felt the rush of his seed within her and he could feel her walls clamping down on him. It was the most intense climax she'd ever experienced. 

 

Every inch of her body was tingling. She was rigid and panting. They just stared at each other wide-eyed and trembling. He reached up and ran his fingers through her messy brown hair. She kissed him. His mustache felt damp as it brushed against her lips. The muscles of her sex were still twitching and sensitive. He chuckled and she couldn't help but smile. 

 

“Shall we have another go, my betrothed?” Coran teased.

 

She ran her glowing fingertips down his side. Nayni teased him with a little injection of her quintessence and his markings ruffled again. He gasped and squirmed. 

 

“We'll go the whole night through,” Nayni said.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Those delicate gloved hands roved over the control panel and the look of wonder on Coreya's face made Coran smile. She was completely absorbed in the blue display within the Teludav chamber. She'd started out just opening up the basic programs to check the levels of heat and the status of the individual lenses. Her eyes flickered over the charts. The edges of her lips were curled up in a subtle smile. _That was Nayni's smile_. 

 

She wasn't his. He had to keep reminding himself of that but she was so much like them. Coreya pulled up the schematics for the Teludav. The network of wires that spread out from the main mechanism looked like an arachnid's web on the display. She furrowed her brow and gestured to the canons that resided at the tips of the Castle's spires. They were what fired off Allura's quintessence to open up a wormhole. 

 

"These are different than our Teludav," Coreya said. 

 

They'd been looking over various schematics of the Castle for a few vargas. Coran was curious if her Castle would be dissimilar ever since he'd seen her BlueLion. They were largely the same but she said most of the aesthetics were subtly different. She'd discovered that some of the core aspects of how the vessels operated were disparate. 

 

“Maybe that's why Lotor is able to pilot your Castle,” Coran said.

 

“I'm certain it has more to do with the modifications that Pidge and Hunk made,” Coreya said.

 

Her expression fell. Every time she mentioned her companions she became distraught. By the quintant's end, they'd be meeting up again to come up with a plan to get her back home. Coran already dreaded that happening. Just these shallow discussions about engineering actually made him feel a tad proud. She could keep up with him for the most part. The instances where he'd had to stop and explain something to her were fairly rare. The Pidge and Hunk that Coran knew had dabbled a bit with modifying the Castle but not on such a grand scale like Coreya was describing. 

 

“If you don't mind, could you tell me more about that?” Coran asked. “For humans to gain such an intimate understanding of Altean technology that they can make such immense alterations---it's fascinating.”

 

Her ears perked up. She was just as interested in what he had to say. 

 

"Pidge has slowly been learning Altean," Coran explained. "She can read it for the most part now but her pronunciation is terrible. Its allowed her to be able to work without my help though." 

 

"That's how it is with Hunk and me!" Coreya said. "I mean _my_ Hunk---”

 

The Hunk that Coran knew was also a savvy engineer but Pidge had a much broader knowledge than the Yellow Paladin did. Coreya was bouncing a bit. Her face was lit up as she spoke. 

 

"He's fascinated by everything Altean," Coreya went on. "I had to teach him quite a few things but without his help, I don't know if we would've made it this far." 

 

She was beaming.

 

"He's very helpful with maintenance but---" Coreya said. "Well, you know, he's human so---" 

 

She stared back at the display again. She'd immediately clammed up. She toyed with the controls and he watched the lenses in the tunnel shift and rotate. Coran chuckled. She could be just as awkward as the Nayni he knew. She kept her guard up in the same way too. Just by observing the girl he could tell their counterparts from her reality weren't that different.

 

It was too soon to ask about them. Coran was certain of that but he was so curious. _What had gone differently for them?_ The only way to know for sure was to go over everything in detail with Coreya. That would be digging into parts of her past that she was definitely sensitive about. Her parents were dead. She'd been facing her war with the Galra all on her own. She had Allura by her side but she'd been forced to be the pillar of support that he was. She was still just a teenager though. Coreya wasn't equipped with the deca-phoebs of experience that he was. 

 

She typed into the control panel and reset the angles of the Teludav lenses. She twirled the end of one of her orange curls.

 

“It's been a team effort,” Coreya said. “If I wasn't piloting Blue, I'm sure they'd be fine without me.”

 

“Don't talk down about yourself like that,” Coran said. “You're a very capable and intelligent young Altean. It sounds like you've been doing a splendid job as Royal Advisor.”

 

Those wide violet eyes were glistening with tears. He wouldn't point it out, Coran knew it would embarrass her. 

 

“I feel like I've barely kept it together,” Coreya said. “I feel like I'm floundering most of the time.”

 

“Oh yes, I know that feeling quite well,” Coran said. “But keeping a smile on helps get you through it.”

 

She burst out laughing. She was giggling so much that she was doubled over and clutching at her stomach. She wiped the tears away from her eyes. She was red in the face. There was a hint of pain behind that wide silver grin. 

 

“You--- _Father_ said that to me all the time,” Coreya chuckled.

 

Coran held his head high. That was quite nice to hear. He gave fantastic advice no matter what reality he was from. Well, except the evil one where he put his wife in a jar.

 

“It was tough going at it alone,” Coran said. “I had to look after Allura and the Paladins, well, you understand. It's a Royal Advisor's duty to always give support when needed. That usually requires keeping your troubles to yourself.”

 

His smile brought out the laugh lines on his face.

 

“It became so much easier once we found Nayni,” Coran said. “So, when she asked me to marry her I just couldn't say no.”

 

Coreya's eyes widened. She chuckled and shook her head.

 

"I can't believe she asked you. That doesn't seem like her," Coreya said. "Father just couldn't wait, they'd barely been together for a deca-phoeb when he asked." 

 

“How did they come together?” Coran asked.

 

He was curious. The subject seemed to be a bit more painful for him than for her. Coreya's ears had perked up. She was posturing with her chest puffed out as if she was going to give a lecture on the intimate details of weblum biology. 

 

“Mother was standing guard at a gala,” Coreya said. “She told me that Father was wearing this grand white and red suit. She said it was hideous but she later admitted that she loved how he looked in all that glitter and velvet.”

 

Now he saw that twinge of sadness in her wide violet eyes.

 

"Father asked her to dance," Coreya went on. "Mother almost declined the offer but she caved. After that, they started courting each other. She'd wanted to take her time but it just unfurled so quickly. She always looked so happy when she'd tell me that story---" 

 

Hearing that brought him more pain than he expected. Nayni had rejected him that night. Just one dance had changed the entire trajectory of their relationship. They hadn't wasted any time where Coreya was from. They'd had a life together. They'd had a family and the whole nine specoolions.

 

Coran thought he'd gotten over missing out on that but seeing this girl was stirring it all back up. Maybe if he'd been more forward they could've had this. But if he hadn't been so cautious with Nayni and respected her wishes, would she still have loved him?

 

Coreya's parents were dead though. Something had happened over the course of the Galra war to bring that about. He wasn't sure what was worse, being alive and with Nayni after all those deca-phoebs had slipped through their fingers or having that family and being forced to seal their daughter away in a sleep chamber.

 

If Coreya hadn't appeared, they never would've truly gotten a glimpse of what potential had been wasted. 

 

“Unfortunately, Nayni and I waited ten thousand years before we got together,” Coran said.

 

Now he was the one that was staring into the display to try and avoid eye contact. He couldn't just mess with random controls for the Teludav. He knew she'd notice. Coran just traced his finger along the edge of the control panel. 

 

“I'll always be grateful for the universe giving us a second chance,” Coran said.

 

He didn't want to keep bringing down the mood. Part of why he'd been showing Coreya around the Castle was to make her feel more comfortable and less like she was stranded in a completely different dimension.

 

"Who would've thought that Allura would pull my future wife out of a sleep chamber," Coran mused. "And she was still as grumpy and beautiful as she was ten thousand years ago." 

 

She'd gotten a bit less grumpy though. He wanted to believe that was solely due to his affection but Coran knew it was because she'd come to love all the Paladins too. Coreya furrowed her brow.

 

“What happened?” Coreya asked. “Why didn't you---”

 

The door to the Teludav room slid open. Hunk strutted in triumphantly with a plate full of cookies. They were still so warm that steam was wafting up into the air. They were the same blue hue of the Teludav lenses. He held out the platter with a wide grin on his face. 

 

"Just thought I'd whip something up for our guest," Hunk said. "Ya know, trying to make you feel more at home. Felt like I should try and show you that no one's out to murder you." 

 

Hunk cringed. He clearly hadn't thought about his phrasing before he'd said that. Coran reached for a cookie. 

 

“Go ahead, Coreya, Hunk is an excellent chef,” Coran said.

 

It was still so soft and hot that it was crumbling in his hands. He took a bite. Coran cried out and crumpled to the floor.

 

“Oh no! It's poisoned!” Coran yelped. “Quickly, Coreya, get help!”

 

Coran dropped the cookie and thrashed on the floor of the control room. He clutched at his throat and pretended to choke and gag. Once Coreya started giggling he had a much harder time keeping up the act. It was nice to see her smiling. He felt like he'd fulfilled a duty that he didn't realize he was obligated to. Hunk smirked as Coran got back on his feet.

 

“Did you just make a Dad joke, Coran?” Hunk said.

 

“A _Dad Joke_?” Coran asked.

 

“You know like bad puns----the fake dying stuff,” Hunk explained. “Just the cheesiest humor you've ever heard.”

 

If puns were the main qualifiers for a _Dad Joke_ then Coran had already mastered them. Coran flashed Coreya a smile as he straightened out his uniform.

 

“They're actually quite delicious,” Coran assured. “---and not poisoned!”

 

Coreya's smile was bittersweet. Her spirits seemed to have been lifted.

 

“You're just like Father,” Coreya said as she reached for a cookie.

 

The tips of her pointed ears reddened. Her gaze fell to the floor as she nibbled on the crumbly, blue confection.

 

“It's good, thank you,” Coreya stammered.

 

Her voice was squeaky and quiet like a space mouse. Hunk's face lit up.

 

“Mission accomplished!” Hunk declared.

 

“I---uh---should go check on Blue,” Coerya stammered.

 

She stuffed the rest of the cookie in her mouth and pushed past him. She peeked back through the door, her olive cheeks were flushed.

 

“Um---thanks again,” Coreya said with a mouthful of cookie.

 

She made her swift escape and Hunk's shoulders slumped.

 

“So---mission not accomplished?” Hunk said. “Did I say something wrong?”

 

Coran didn't think the Yellow Paladin had frightened her. In fact, watching Coreya's reaction to him reminded Coran a great deal of how Nayni used to be with him. He thought about how much she'd smiled when she spoke of the Hunk that she knew. Coreya had been filled with such excitement and joy then she'd immediately clammed up. Coran twirled the end of his mustache and smirked.

 

Hunk lifted up his arm and sniffed.

 

“Do I smell?” Hunk asked. “I smell, don't I?”

 

“You don't smell, Hunk,” Coran said.

 

Coran watched the boy scratch his head as he tried to puzzle out what had just happened. It appeared Coreya was harboring more secrets then Coran suspected about the reality she came from.

 


End file.
